Jody Windschitl’s Heartfelt Plant Donations to Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Continue to Flourish This National Volunteer Month

In celebration of National Volunteer Month, Stewart Memorial Community Hospital honors the generosity of Jody Windschitl, whose plant donations have not only beautified the hospital’s spaces but also served as a deeply personal tribute to her late son and father.

Jody’s connection to the plants she donates is rooted in personal loss. After the sudden passing of her son, followed by the loss of her father just 18 days later, Jody was overwhelmed with grief. The plants she received in their memory became a source of comfort and a way to honor their lives. "My son loved to grow things, and I still have all of the plants that he had when he passed away," Jody shares. "I just couldn’t throw them away."

Rather than discard the plants, Jody decided to build a greenhouse where she could continue to care for them. The greenhouse became a place of solace, where the plants flourished and grew in memory of her son and father. "They began to take over the end of my greenhouse; I couldn’t walk around them anymore," she reflects.

In 2024, Jody began donating some of the thriving plants to Stewart Memorial Community Hospital, including a ficus, corn plant, and others that had outgrown her greenhouse. She brought the plants to the hospital to share the joy they had brought her. "They did well there, but they have done amazingly well here." These plants can be found in patient waiting areas throughout the hospital, and Jody also donates smaller plants to the Heartstrings Gift Shop, with all proceeds supporting the hospital. "I just wanted to donate them. I don't need to earn money off it," Jody says.

Even now, Jody continues to tend to the plants at the hospital, ensuring they remain healthy and vibrant when she volunteers at the Heart Strings Gift Shoppee. "I love working here. I do this one day a week. It’s just a way for me to get away from everything else," she explains. "I still come by to check on them."

Jody’s plant donations have become more than just a charitable act; they are a way to keep the memory of her son and father alive while sharing something beautiful with others. "The plants just bring a lot of joy to me, and it’s wonderful to know that others are enjoying them too," Jody says.

This National Volunteer Month, we celebrate Jody Windschitl’s generosity and selfless contributions to Stewart Memorial Community Hospital. Her ongoing efforts to share her plants and the love she has for them continue to have a lasting impact on the hospital, offering both beauty and healing to the facility.

Interested in volunteering at Stewart Memorial or joining the Auxiliary?
Contact Mollie Scott at mollie.scott@stewartmemorial.org or (712) 464-4183 to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how you can get involved!