“I was just a facilitator,” she said. “The driving force behind these events were the group of volunteers from KMB and the Tree Commission. I would say on my time here that the number of volunteers who have stepped forward and given their time has grown a lot and their efforts to make the town a better more beautiful place has really had an impact. … I am paid to do what I do, they selflessly give their time. I can’t tell you how much they have helped me over the years and made my job so much more rewarding. … I have loved my job and been passionate about getting more trees planted in our city and hope it has made a difference.”
Baden has also been instrumental in making sure Middletown continues to remain a Tree City USA, a designation the city will receive for the eighth straight year.
In addition to her job, Baden also serves as a city liaison to the city’s Tree Commission, Park Board and Keep Middletown Beautiful. She also writes grant proposals for beautification and parks projects as well as take care of the record-keeping needed to remain a Tree City.
“It’s been rewarding to see trees being planted and working with volunteers in revitalizing a park,” she said. “We have a great base of volunteers and I can’t emphasize how much they’re willing to do.
Jeff Michel of Keep Middletown Beautiful and a member of the Park Board, said Baden was “instrumental in pushing Tree City.”
“Doris made things happen,” Michel said. “She was a liaison to KMB and the Park Board and served as sounding board for us and took our concerns to the city. She is really good at what she does.”
Michel said Baden really shined when she started seeing people who cared about how the city looked.
“We could not have done a lot of things without her,” he said. “She’s a “get it done” person who doesn’t seek any accolades. Doris is a real doer and that’s what KMB is all about.”
He also said that Baden has been asked to join the KMB board.
Baden started out working as a seasonal worker at Weatherwax Golf Course for a year and a half before becoming a full-time city employee working in grounds maintenance 15 years ago.
During that time, Baden said there have been 996 trees that have been planted in the city’s parks and on its boulevards. “I wish it could have been three times as many,” she said.
Baden said some of her more rewarding moments have been seeing a small pine tree I planted the first year in Smith Park grow into one of the large trees that gets decorated for Light Up Middletown. Other rewarding moments are when she’s at the grocery and a complete stranger comes up to her and says ‘I know you, you’re the flower girl for the city and you do a great job,’ or when she’s pulling weeds in Smith Park and people come by and tell her me how nice it looks.
“It those little things that make a job so rewarding,” she said.
After she retires, Baden plans on going to the beach for a week, working on projects at home, travel some more this summer. She also said she’ll take some time off before she starts volunteering in the community.
About the Author
