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It started with a single egg. Over two summers, it grew into something much bigger: a backyard full of vibrant flowers, monarch butterflies fluttering overhead, and a project that brought clients and staff at VON's Windsor-Essex Adult Day Program together in a whole new way.

The From Milkweed to Migration Monarch Butterfly Project began last summer as an indoor project led by staff. That first egg became a butterfly, which the team released into the program's backyard. A few weeks later, a monarch returned, and two staff members, April Scane and Jacklyn Atkins, watched it lay eggs on the program's milkweed.

That milkweed has a special story of its own. It was donated by Lynn, a longtime client who has since passed away. Lynn grew up in a rural area and had a deep love of gardening.

"She is the person we have to thank for the nurturing of this monarch project," says Jaclyn Rose, Community Support Services supervisor at VON Windsor-Essex.

This summer, the team wanted to take a more natural approach that would be as gentle on the butterflies as possible. They collected milkweed leaves with eggs from outside, raised the caterpillars in four mesh habitats, and planted a pollinator garden in five raised garden boxes. The raised beds allow clients who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices to tend to the garden alongside others.

Clients were involved every step of the way. They researched which flowers attract pollinators, watched videos about the monarch life cycle and followed along on the program's whiteboard. They watered the garden, helped clean the habitats and clipped fresh milkweed — the only food monarch caterpillars eat — checking the leaves with magnifying glasses for eggs.

"We know that being outside in nature helps regulate your nervous system," says Jaclyn. "It's a peaceful environment for a lot of the people we support here."

The highlight was butterfly release day. Clients gathered in the backyard to set the butterflies free.  

"Just seeing the glow on their faces, the smiles — that in itself is the win," says Jaclyn.

One release stands out above the rest. A stroke survivor was invited to release a butterfly. She stood patiently, waiting for it to crawl onto her finger. The butterfly flew away, then circled back and landed right on her chest, as three other clients looked on.

"She was just so ecstatic. Words couldn't even explain it," says Jaclyn. "When you're a kid, you lie in the yard and watch nature happen around you. Then life gets in the way. You forget how perfect nature is. Some people might say it's juvenile, but it's not. It's nature, it’s magical and it makes us feel so much more connected."

The project sparked conversation beyond butterflies. Clients began noticing the birds visiting the garden, the weather, and the wider ecosystem. Tiffany Wilson shared that watching the releases eased her anxiety, and that she found it therapeutic to see the butterflies transform, much the way we see people born, heal and die.

The project also brought the team closer together. Staff often took individual clients out to the garden for quiet, one-on-one moments. The two staff members Kim Emery and Shelby Murphy, who launched the project last year cared for the butterflies so attentively that clients began calling them the "monarch mothers."

Respect for nature guided every decision. When the team was invited to tag their butterflies at a butterfly festival, clients voted on whether to take part. Because tagging involves attaching a small device to a butterfly's delicate wings, the group decided against it. Instead, they took comfort in knowing that the fourth generation of monarchs they raised this year is the one strong enough to make the long migration to Mexico.

Next summer, the team plans to grow the project with even more pollinator plants, as well as flowers that welcome birds. They also hope to inspire others to protect monarch habitats.

"It brought joy to our day," says Jaclyn. "I don't know who can look at a flowerpot full of bright pinks and yellows, see these monarchs and not smile. It makes your heart glow."

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