Volunteer Spotlight: Dave Wilson

Dave Wilson has found community, passion and enjoyment through volunteering at Reiman Gardens.

Wilson spent 40 years working for Boeing in Seattle, Washington, before retiring in 2020 and settling in Iowa. After moving to Ames, he wanted to get involved in the community and came across Reiman Gardens. He began volunteering in 2021, and his talent for building soon became evident.

As an experienced carpenter, Dave’s skills have been put to use in many memorable ways. “I built the toy train in the Children’s Garden, I built the big letters that said ‘RG 30,’ there was a Candyland sign last Christmas… I built that,” Wilson explained. He is currently building a sign for Baby Gnome’s name reveal, along with a photo op for Elwood’s upcoming birthday celebration. 

One of Dave’s most recent projects can be seen in the Hughes Conservatory as part of the current Fall Fractals display. He designed, engineered and constructed this display, and his woodworking expertise brought the vision to life. 

“They came to me and asked me to build these things, and I started out building the little triangle stands at home. I bought a bunch of wood and created quite a scrap pile trying to figure out how to do it,” Wilson described. 

He detailed the process of creating and assembling the large Sierpinski Triangle centerpiece, sharing how much thought and deliberate planning goes into each project he builds. His creativity and willingness to think outside the box helped make a complex mathematical concept accessible for guests to enjoy.

For Dave, volunteering at Reiman Gardens is about more than just construction. “I think it’s important to give back, and I like it here because it seems like it has a lot of community interest,” he stated. Throughout his time as a volunteer, Dave has met new friends and contributed to the organization in significant and meaningful ways.

“There are all sorts of jobs, from building stuff to weeding, pot washing in the winter to helping with events… it’s not just building. It’s a lot of fun,” Wilson emphasized. Dave’s involvement has made a positive impact, and his work can be found throughout Reiman Gardens; there’s always another project waiting to be built.