Leadership Academy 2013-14 LeadingAge New York Feb. 2014 | 页面 6

Carmen Carpentier
Executive Director
Lake Forest Senior Living
Community Inc.

Wildflower Meadow
1

How would you describe your Action Learning Project and the difference you hope it will make to
advance your organization’s mission (or the field) and benefit the individuals you serve?

The creation of a wildflower meadow where only burr ridden weeds would grow is not that profound. What really matters in this
project is the residents had complained for 13 years about no lawn and ugly weeds surrounding their home. The benefit is their voice
was heard, they participated in the process and hopefully will have the satisfaction of knowing they had a say in an environmentally
sustainable, economical and green project that is pollution free. So far they have had the satisfaction of knowing the project is going
along as planned and has been a tremendous labor saver. By increasing biomass with multiple plantings they have learned about a way
to enrich the soil without putting phosphates in the lake across the street. The fact that this project has been so “green” has been a
source of pride and satisfaction.

2

How have the relationships you’ve developed as part of your project (with mentors, partners,
stakeholders, etc.) influenced this direction and you as a leader?

Lake Forest brought in a consultant who really heard what the goals were for this project. Her advice and green approach have been
invaluable. As leader you simply can’t know it all and after battling mothernature for 13 years her help was invaluable.
As a leader it has been really satisfying to hear from the residents their pleasure in the project and finally having their voices heard.

3

What have been important turning points for you, in your own learning, as you’ve engaged with
the action learning process (you might consider a surprise, insight, setback, or challenge)?

The biggest challenge was coming to a consensus about the project since some people think we can grow grass on what is basically a
sand dune. The education project was clearly important as was the constant communication of what each step involved.

4

How do you hope your project might unfold in the months and years ahead and what impact do
you hope it will have on the field at large?

The field is exactly what we are hoping for! I hope to have a beautiful meadow that supports some beehives and provides food for
the monarch butterfly as they migrate through the area. We have twenty acres of land to expand on and hopefully will do so with
the help of a NYS grant that we just learned is available.

5

How has the action learning process in the context of the Leadership Academy experience
contributed to your growth as a leader?

The big piece for me was giving the staff and stakeholders a voice in the process. They were assured that they were heard, updated,
educated and involved in what should be a beautiful wildflower meadow where they can walk through some paths to a destination
w