Volunteer Spotlight: Sue and Paul Mikulski

Photo: Paul Mikulski, Chef Jim, Sue Mikulski and Chef Linda standing in front of The Light House Tower Gardens.

What started out as 24 sandwiches a week for almost ten years, has turned into so much more!”– Sue and Paul Mikulski

When Sue and Paul Mikulski were preparing to get married, their church suggested they adopt one of the Acts of Mercy. In 2008, as they were standing in their refurbished kitchen, they thought why not use the kitchen to make sandwiches for The Light House? Since then, they have made two dozen sandwiches a week, each and every week. If they go on vacation they either make ahead or make up when they get back. We estimate that they have hit the 10,000-sandwich mark!

The Mikulski’s generosity does not stop there. When Sue, a retired nurse and now a certified health coach and owner of the virtual franchise “Juice Plus+,” saw an email from The Light House asking for weeding help in our summer gardens, she had an idea. She had just attended a conference about Tower Gardens, a vertical system that grows plants aeroponically (without soil). Sue thought why not get The Light House a Tower Garden. A few phone calls later, Sue’s idea blossomed and between her, Paul, and several of their friends, we now have 8 Tower Gardens! Sue comes to The Light House weekly to check the water levels, check the pH of the water, add nutrients, and to do the occasional root training.

These Tower Gardens are a sustainable way for us to bring fresh produce to our residents and the Annapolis community year round. The residents come out to see how the gardens have grown and it is very therapeutic for them. Sue and Paul want to “feed the homeless like they’ve never been fed before” and we are beyond grateful to them.

“What do I get out of it? I get back way more than I give. I have met residents from all walks of life, all with a story.” – Sue and Paul Mikulski

Thank you, Sue and Paul, for your hard work and support!