Volunteer Spotlight

Shirley Schultz - 2002

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Shirley Schultz, who is starting her 21st year of volunteer service to the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, might never have become a volunteer had she not taken a journal-writing class back in 1980.

“I got hooked in keeping a journal," she said, “and so when Jack (her Husband - see below) read me an announcement saying that the Friends needed volunteers, I thought it might be a perfect way to sit in the shelter and write in my journal and imagine I were back in the Maine woods which are so similar to Eloise’s.”

Thus began a long volunteer career with the Garden. “After a few years as a shelter volunteer, I agreed to fill in temporarily as one of two volunteer coordinators,” she said. “Before I knew it I was handling the job alone.”

Duties of the volunteer coordinator are to make sure a volunteer will be on duty in the shelter mornings and afternoons of every day throughout the Garden season from April first to October 15. “I love to chat on the phone with everybody, so it’s not a job I dislike.”

Due to travels with her husband, Jack, who is semi-retired, Shirley now shares the coordinator function with Harriet Betzold.

“I have enjoyed the outdoors my entire life,” said Shirley, “and this led to my being active in the Girl Scouts for many years.” A native of the East Coast, Shirley spent most of her childhood in Pleasantville, NY. Currently Shirley serves as a member of the Friend’s Board of Directors, as does her husband, Jack, who served as its Treasurer for several years. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.

In September 1993 the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board honored outstanding volunteers for 1993 - our volunteer coordinator, Shirley Schultz, was praised for her work on behalf of the Friends of the Wild Flower Garden. Shirley has been a regular volunteer at the Martha Crone Shelter for the past 12 years, and has coordinated the daily scheduling of volunteers at the Shelter for the past nine years. Congratulations, Shirley! Shirley was presented a certificate by Parks Commissioner Patty Baker.

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Note 1: Article by newsletter editor Lisa Locken.
Note 2: This article was published in the Friends newsletter the Fringed Gentian™ Winter 2002 Vol. 50 #1.

Shirley became volunteer coordinator in 1984 with Joyce Smeby as co-coordinator during 1984 & 1985. She joined the Friends Board of Directors in May 1985 and remained on the board and remained as sole volunteer coordinator until 1999 when Harriet Betzold joined her as co-volunteer coordinator until May 2002. Shirley retired from the Friends Board in May 2005 completing 23 years of volunteer service. She passed away in July 2011.

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Jack Schultz

In 2008 we noted the passing of Dr. Chester J. (Jack) Schultz Jr. on October 20, 2008. Jack was a long-time member of The Friends. He was active on the Board of Directors from May 1994 until May 2005, and served as treasurer from May 1994 until May 1999. Jack was a retired Navy Captain and a retired professor of the University of Minnesota Dental School.

At the time of his passing he and Shirley had been married 54 years.