SAN DIEGO BLOSSOMS UNDER THE CARE OF THIS NATURE-LOVING VOLUNTEER

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Jan Peterson. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

Jan Peterson’s knees may not be in the best shape these days, but her commitment to volunteering will stop at nothing.  

When her husband and mother died at the end of the pandemic, Jan found herself isolated from the outside world. Unable to visit with friends due to COVID, Jan knew that the way to brighten her spirits when restrictions were lifted would be to get outside and engage with others. She started volunteering with Forever Balboa Park, San Diego’s organization dedicated to the care and enhancement of Balboa Park, the large urban cultural park known for its gardens, historic buildings, museums and other iconic destinations that draw people from near and far.  

She started as a garden steward, dedicating 12 hours per month to beautifying the expansive destination. Her time was so successful that she progressed and became a garden steward lead. Four years later, Jan’s knees have given her a bit of trouble. However, she is still a frequent presence on the Forever Balboa Park volunteer roster. A master of the administrative tasks required to keep Balboa Park functioning properly, she recently helped create a database listing for each plant and its characteristics in the newly restored Botanical Building, a horticultural and architectural landmark built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. She has edited three interactive garden maps and is currently at work on a fourth. As a member of the park’s Volunteer Leadership Council, she even helps plan special events and advocates for the volunteers.  

At 77, Jan isn’t slowing down anytime soon, dedicating 15 to 20 hours per month to Balboa Park’s livelihood. When she isn’t hanging out with her Labradoodle, Marigold, she’s bringing in new volunteers. She recently recruited her daughter to join the Forever Balboa Park volunteer team. But Jan doesn’t take much credit for her incredible dedication. Instead, she said she’s simply grateful that they consider her worthy of being included at the table. Her willingness to tackle any task and adapt to ongoing change is exactly the type of volunteer that any organization would be eager to have. 

What inspires you to volunteer? 

It gets me outside of myself. With our weather, it’s very nice. I think I get more out of it than I give, honestly. I have really good friends, and the park looks more beautiful all the time. I must say, my knees are giving me problems, so I am no longer a garden steward, but I kept begging them to let me do something because I don’t want to quit. So now they’ve created an administrative position for me, where I bounce around from department to department and do administrative stuff. We just opened up the Botanical Building, which has been restored, and it’s just beautiful. It’s back to its 1924 splendor when we had the World’s Fair. I also got involved in creating the plant book.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?  

It was the end of COVID, and I had just lost my mother and my husband. I needed to get outside and do something. At Balboa Park, they were just starting to create the garden stewards, a group that volunteers to clean up the park, deadhead plants, put in mulch, pull weeds and that kind of thing. It’s nothing glamorous but it’s great fun. They were putting the group together at that time, and those of us who were regulars had a feeling of creating something really nice. A lot of times when you’re doing that, people will stop and ask questions about trees and plants, and thank you for your hard work. Now it’s more cosmetic. We’re keeping up with things. 

Tell us about your volunteer role with Forever Balboa Park. 

Right now it’s administrative work, like filing, creating a database and that kind of thing. Before, it was gardening. But Balboa Park is the jewel in San Diego’s crown. It’s actually a privilege to contribute to how important it is to the city. I think a lot of people take it for granted, but we plant trees all year. We have a rose garden, a Botanical Building and a cactus garden. People love it. When I’m in the Botanical Building and talking to people, they come from all over the place. Europe, Asia, and locals, of course, but it’s so well-known that it’s so fun to talk to them. Everybody always asks about the plants, so we created a plant book with the pictures and names of the plants, including the botanical name, common name and characteristics. That took a while, but it was very fun. Now, sometimes I help out with filing in the visitor center, or whatever they have to throw at me. I think they’re grateful to have somebody do this kind of stuff. I wanted to stay involved. 

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

The satisfaction that I have every time I go. It doesn’t matter how menial the task is. It is very, very satisfying. The other thing I liked about it at the beginning was that it wasn’t quite the well-oiled machine it is now. We were creating it as we went. Staff had a vision in their mind, but I loved how they just kind of let us go, and then they solicited our input. It very much felt like we were helping to create the program.  

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer? 

Patience. That I’m not in charge. I’m used to being in charge. It’s wonderful. I like to offer my two cents, but I can sit back. I’m ready for the next generation to take the stage. It’s wonderful in that regard.  

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about? 

I keep reading these days that people are lonely and depressed. The answer to that is get out and do something. Mingle with people, get on a board and show up for book sales. Like I said, it gets you out of your head. It doesn’t make you feel good if you sit around too much. You think dark thoughts. You start to wonder why you lost that person or why the world is on fire. 

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

I kept trying to think about what I liked. I thought about something very basic, like gardening. I like books, so I’m also on the library board. I would suggest people look around and see if they see what they like to do and what gives them joy. You can start so simply. Just show up, and they’ll give you a task, and you can do it. Make it grow, or stay as small as you want it to.  

What do you want people to learn from your story? 

When I lost my husband and my mother, it was an extremely sad time for me. Because it was the COVID-19 lockdown, nobody could come over and hug me. Well, a few people came over and gave me hugs. After that, I got a dog and started volunteering. It’s just the way to get over sad things. They don’t go away, but it helps you keep things in perspective. It gives you a positive feeling. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Jan? Find local volunteer opportunities.