🌟Neighbor Spotlight: Kristie Taylor

Photo and Article by Marilyn Dawson

This month, we are delighted to shine a light on community leader and organizer Kristie Taylor of McLaughlin Hills, nominated by Joan Stang of Manitou Springs. Joan and Kristie first met at the Colorado Springs Vermijo Community Gardens, where Kristie stepped forward to organize, direct, and reimagine what the space could be. Binging widespread attention to the project, Kristie made the front page in the Pikes Peak Bulletin Newspaper on March 21, 20205, with an article she authored about her garden initiative.

She tirelessly promotes and recruits patrons in the community to transform this formerly neglected garden space in what many may view as an undesirable neighborhood, but Kristie sees possibilities. Through her efforts, she coaxes beauty from the soil and enhances the quality of life for residents and the unhoused. Kristie has collaborated with the City of Colorado Springs, individuals experiencing homelessness who reside in the nearby space, and the police to bring this project to fruition. She is a peacemaker and an organic gardener who teaches and implements earth-friendly permaculture methods that benefit the planet, people, and the soil.

Kristie promotes this community space on social media and educates others on how to create healthy, earth-friendly spaces in their own yards, gardens, or properties. She is a true neighborhood leader who has successfully collaborated with other businesses, including USAA and Carnelian Coffee, to support and sponsor community events such as harvest efforts, potlucks, and plant giveaways.

Kristie embodies the change she wants to see in the world and serves as an amazing leader and inspiration to others.  Through the garden, she has connected neighbors, built relationships, and touched so many lives. She has an unwavering passion for gardening and unselfish efforts to invite others to join her in transforming the garden into a beautiful place.