News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Murl Holm has a green thumb and a big heart.
The "retired" 72-year-old Sisters man was honored recently with a "Best of Sisters" award from the Sisters School District for working with "e-crew" students at Sisters Middle School, teaching them to plant and care for growing things in the school's greenhouse.
The fact that the greenhouse is there at all is a tribute to Holm's volunteer efforts. He saw that the greenhouse was unused and falling into disrepair, and he set about to fix it.
"I furnished the plants, potting soil, hangers and buckets," Holm said.
Holm says that teacher Nancy Connolly asked for his help teaching students - many of them from local alternative youth programs. Holm was happy to do it.
He feels a kinship with kids who have not had the straightest or easiest of paths. One of 10 children, his mother left him and his father died young, leaving Holm to grow up in what he calls a "farm home" between Corvallis and Albany.
Growing up in a home for boys put a stigma on Holm that he bridles at to this day.
"Being in a farm home, everybody looks at you like you're bad," he said. "And it's not true."
Holm made a success of himself, building a long career as an ironworker before retiring seven years ago.
"I retired and there was nothing to do the first year," he recalled. "I about went crazy. But this school has kept me good. I love working with other children."
That's not the only work he does. He picked up a greenhouse from a Redmond nursery and started growing hanging baskets.
"Started with one greenhouse and I'm up to five," he said. "I started with 20 hanging baskets and I'm up to 600."
Holm sells the baskets locally.
Holm's adopted daughter Cierra is following in her dad's footsteps when it comes to helping others, and he insists that she share the credit.
The seventh grader spent several years raising and selling beagle pups, and she has donated much of her money to help students in need.
"I'm just helping my dad with everything he does," she said.
Holm, who looks 20 years younger than his 72 years, says he'll keep working with the schools for as long as his health allows. Considering that he comes from a long line of hale and long-lived Norwegians, he expects that will be a good long time.
Reader Comments(0)