101 Plants first opened its doors in the Spring of 1976. In March of 2001 Pat and Jeff Kerker purchased the nursery from it’s founders, the Smiths. Over the years we have helped several generations of gardeners with our knowledge of plants and the local climate. Our passion for plants and growing them is seen in the rare and unusual specimens that can be discovered throughout the nursery.

“I was always the quiet person, never really went out to do anything. I didn’t like attention EVER! No one really had given me a second thought; however, things started to change when Mr. Johnston called me down to his office to tell me I needed one more credit to graduate. At that very moment, a Youth Talent Advisor came to our Senior Capstone class to discuss internship opportunities for high school credit. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to obtain that missing credit, it was AWESOME to be able to get an internship for SCHOOL CREDIT and gain Work Experience. I never really had previous work experience, but I would volunteer down at my grandma’s church providing help with the “Homeless Persons Memorial” plus taking care of kids. The Youth Talent Advisor was great at maintaining consistent communication with me throughout the internship process and matching my interests with a wonderful internship experience at the Boys & Girls Club. The Boys & Girls Club seemed like a perfect fit due to my nurturing personality of caring for others, plus I was familiar with the facility as I quite often attended the program as a student. It was quite special being able to work there because I was able to understand the program from a staff perspective, allowing me to realize the hard work it took to maintain a positive environment for the kids to flourish and be happy. I was comfortable from the get-go because I saw familiar faces and had tremendous support from my co-workers and my Youth Talent Advisor. One of my favorite moments at the Boys & Girls Club was when I was in the middle school room and, you know middle schoolers, they can be a little mean, I stood up for some and I spoke to them about being true to themselves and not listening to bullies. Those moments came natural to me; being able to protect those children and playing the role of a mentor gave me a sense of purpose. Therefore, problem resolution was an essential skill I learned during my internship at the Boys & Girls Club. I was able to handle stressful situations in a more mature manner, which allowed me to apply those skills in my personal life. I was devastated when my internship was cut short due to the pandemic, but those three months were filled with so many joyful memories, I truly loved being at the Boys & Girls Club. However, I will continue to hold those values and skills that I acquired during my internship. Before Recruit Hippo I was unfamiliar with how to create a resume, but by attending a resume workshop I was guided in the proper steps to design a perfect resume. For the future Juniors and Seniors at North Bend High School: do not be afraid to try new things and be open-minded, always have compassion; especially with kids who had a rough life and you are not aware of it. You have to be more understanding of a child’s behavior, and instead of yelling at them or telling them to stop you must be willing to understand where they are coming from. At the moment, my life is at a standstill because of Covid-19. However, I do know what I want to accomplish, and I want to continue impacting peoples lives in Oregon. There is this lovely little town called Sweet Home and I believe that is where my future resides, they even have a Boys & Girls Club. I like to have plan and I like to reach that plan; I am confident in my abilities to be successful. I am grateful for the support I have and continue to have in my life.”