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The official podcast of Shoemaker Films. Every week we share content related to digital marketing, video production, and brand building; and frequently meet with local creatives, entrepreneurs, and business owners for in-depth conversations. Get to know local heavy hitters and influencers in the Greater Philadelphia region while picking up some tactical advice and tips on starting and running a business, being productive, creating content, and everything in between.
Hi, everyone. This is Dane Schumacher. Welcome to Schumacher Lab. This is, Carol Ruark with Garrett Williamson. We're here today at the beautiful Garrett Williamson property and here to learn a little bit more about what you guys do today and hear about the programs, the history, and really excited to to unpack it.
Dane Shoemaker:So
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Dane, thanks for giving us this opportunity. This great.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Yeah. It's beautiful beautiful Friday, morning here. And, yeah, just, you know, really nice porch here that we're sitting in a nice breeze. So
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. How are how's everything going today?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It's going well. It's a busy day. It is pre kindergarten celebration from 4 to 6. So Yeah. There are several things going on today here.
Dane Shoemaker:Excellent. So, Carol, tell us about Garrett Williamson, the organization, your executive director. You know? I know there's this is large property, what, 300 ish
Carol Kaplan Ruark:240 acres.
Dane Shoemaker:240 Acres right in Newtown Square's backyard. I think there's probably a lot of people that know about it. There's probably a a lot of people that don't really know exactly, you know, what you guys do here. So just tell us about your mission and the property and the organizations and programs that you offer. Okay.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So, we are here as a nonprofit. There's so many things that go on on the property. I can see why people would be confused.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We have 240 acres where we connect people with nature, and we support families that are in financial under resourced situations. So on the property, if you're looking at the property from the road and you think of a rectangle, all you see is a tiny little triangle of what the entire property is all about. So the only thing people see from the road is the farm, and you might see a few animals grazing. But once you come on to the property, we have, agriculture education. So children and families work with the animals.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We have childcare. We have summer camp. With all 3 of those programs, all of the children can go on hikes, they can visit the barn. We also have a few tenant houses where people rent from us.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We have a couple of commercial tenants, and we have a farmer tenant who has his own CSA. He rents 26 acres from us.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay. Fascinating.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. There's a lot.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, executive tell me a little bit about how long you've been in, in this role leading the organization.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So I've been in this role since December of 2010, so it's almost 14 years. Previous to that, I was consulting with Garrett Williamson from 2 years helping women in childcare specifically.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Great.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And then I have, I'm sorry, I have directors who run all of the departments. I do not do this alone. I have amazingly smart people that run each of the departments, childcare, summer camp, agriculture education, property and grounds, development. I think I covered everybody.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Well, how many how many employees, and and do you have a lot of volunteers also?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We do. So, for 12 months of the year, we have a little over 50 employees, and then we hire another 40 employees for summer camp. And then we also have volunteers, but we always would love more volunteers than
Dane Shoemaker:so we're we're sitting on this beautiful porch of this this building, and I'm really fascinated. You know, I did a little research prior to, but tell us a little about the history of Garrett Williamson. You know, what's the mission here really, you know, some of the values.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:K. Yeah. So let's let's start with Elizabeth Garrett. She was born Elizabeth Williamson. Son.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So that's where you get the Garrett Williamson from. I didn't realize that. So her birth name is Elizabeth Williamson, and she lived on the property
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:In her childhood. And then her father sold off the property, and she loved it so much. Her husband was determined to get it back for her.
Dane Shoemaker:Oh, wow.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So in adulthood, she got the property back. And at the time, it was
Dane Shoemaker:at What time what year was that?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So she was born mid 1800. She passed away in 19 12.
Dane Shoemaker:Oh, I think
Carol Kaplan Ruark:it's you know what? She passed away in 1910. Sorry. So late 1800.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:She was she had this property. And, she left us this property to serve women and children in and around the Philadelphia area that would not see a farm like setting otherwise. And in modern times, we have expanded that not only to be women and children, but to be families. Yeah. And to help anybody who is financially under resourced, but also we anybody can come here.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We have scholarships though, for people who are financially under resourced. So you asked about, the mission. So the mission is to connect, people with nature using our amazing property as their canvas for learning. And there's so much more to us than that mission too.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Yeah. So it's excuse me. It's always been very much about, you know, since the beginning, bringing people out of the city, out into nature.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Her husband ran 3 paper mills, and it was mostly women that were working in the paper mills. And I I think she really had a heart for supporting these hardworking individuals.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. And I think she also left us this property because she was so benevolent, and her husband and her 2 children predeceased her. Oh, wow. Okay. She left her property and all of her belongings to start the Garrett Williamson Lodge.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay. Got it. And then how long has the current 501c3 been around? Since
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Since 1912.
Dane Shoemaker:Since 1912. Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Established in 1912.
Dane Shoemaker:Wow. What has changed? What hasn't changed know, over the years?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. There's been several chapters. Yeah. So at 1 you know, the porch that we're sitting on, this used to be for you know, first, it was women, then it for a chapter, it was, senior folks that would come out, and there was tons of rocking chairs. Oh, wow.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Sit down, look at the rolling hills. They could come for 2 weeks at a time and enjoy the setting. There was a period of time where Marple Newtown had a fire in one of their schools, and Garrett Williamson stepped in, and they had classes here until their school was ready to be used again. The Sisters of Armenia had their school here for a couple of years. And then there was a period of time where the local y had summer camp here.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And then in the eighties, 1984, the folks that were running Garrett Williamson at the time decided to take the camp in house, and then that became Camp Garrett.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And then in 1986, they expanded to childcare, and that became Garrett's way.
Dane Shoemaker:Got it. Okay. And childcare today is 6 weeks. What are the ages?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:The ages are 6 weeks through kindergarten.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. And that's 12 months a year. Okay. And then summer camp is rising 1st graders. So they've had to complete kindergarten, be at least 5 years of age up through 15 years of age.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And then once you're 16, you can apply for a job as a summer camp junior counselor.
Dane Shoemaker:Cool. Very cool. How many how many, counselors do you have for the the summer?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:For summer camp, we have 40 employees. So specifically counselors, at least 22.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay. Nice. Yeah. So, you know, how have you upheld the wishes and the and the goals of Elizabeth Garrett, you know, from from 19 12 on. I mean
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. Yeah. So it's I think it's taken on several iterations, but we uphold her wishes by making sure we review scholarships, one family at a time who apply. It's kind of easy to fulfill her mission because there's people in need of childcare. And so since it's held on the farm setting
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We're able to sort of take care of modern needs at the same time as using her amazing property to fulfill those needs. And then we go the extra step from other child care centers because the children get to use all of this property and all of the resources here versus being on a very small property
Dane Shoemaker:Right.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Typically what you see in child care.
Dane Shoemaker:Right. Right. I mean, it's very different. It's very unique in that, you know, you have this beautiful 240 Acre thing right, you know, right off Westchester Pike. I mean, not far.
Dane Shoemaker:It's, you know, it's not like this is out in Lancaster County or something like that. It's it's not far from Philadelphia, and it's such a such a hidden gem, if you will. Right? Right.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We're trying not to be so hidden. Yes. But you're right. For a long time, I found that we, along with many other nonprofits, they sort of were quieter and didn't necessarily want to be out there, but Yeah. We want people to know about us.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. Really do. Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:I mean, on that point too, you guys have started doing a harvest festival, right, in the fall? Yes. And I don't know how many years you've been doing that. But
Carol Kaplan Ruark:so the Harvest Festival started a few years ago.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And it's a perfect opportunity for the community because families can come out to the Harvest Festival. Community businesses, if they'd like, not only can can they come out the day of, they can sponsor Harvest Festival.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So it's it's awesome to get your name out there for such an amazing property event activity for the local community to get involved in.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A great way for people to To find out. Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:To be involved yeah. And to see what's going on here. Yeah. And this is I heard also this is the highest point of Newtown Square. Is that right?
Dane Shoemaker:It's almost like a little plateau
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yes.
Dane Shoemaker:Up here. It's pretty neat.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yes. It's always windy even in the summertime. Even with warm wind, it's always windy. So it's beautiful in the summer, little cold in the winter.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Very idyllic here. So what, you know, what inspires you to continue the mission? I mean, you personally or, you know
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. Well, it's always been my calling to work with young children. I feel like it's my role to protect and educate children, and then I hire others that have that share that same vision and share those values. And coming on to this beautiful property every day, it's it's easy. Like, you drive onto the property and then you see families bringing their children in every day.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And then you look around and these kids can do so much here. And even walking out, we have a circle between the two buildings. And you can walk out into the circle and these kids are riding their bikes and talking to each other and playing in the sandbox. And, you know, one day, one of my employees said, this is their neighborhood. And I thought about it growing up.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We could be outside. We didn't go back inside until the street lights came on. You know, we were all playing with all our friends in the neighborhood. You don't see that as much today. But when you're on this property, this is what these children are doing.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. They're learning and playing with their neighbors, and we're like an extended family. So it's really easy to keep the spark alive of Elizabeth Garrett's mission because it's it's incredible here.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Do you have any stories that you wanna share? Any particular things that come to mind?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. You know, so a big part of what we do here is helping families.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And I think of this one time where my business director at the time came in and she said she saw a story on social media that or it was a post. I'm sorry. And there was a mom looking for help for her younger children while her older child had to go in the hospital to have a heart transplant. Her heart was only functioning at 13% at the time, and she needed help for the younger children. And she came over to visit.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It was her and her mom. And, you know, we were we were pretty full, but we found spaces for them. We got them in. And as life would have it, the grandmom had to end up taking custody of the children. And when she got custody of the children, she said she had nothing for them.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So not only had we reached out to get childcare for the younger two children, She told us she had nothing for them, and we've reached out to our community. And we got our shoes and clothes and diapers and help with food. You know? So this is what we do here. This is just one of many stories of why we're in existence.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. You
Carol Kaplan Ruark:know, we're we're here we're here to help community. We're here to help the families. We're here to make sure that when we say all children can get quality care, we want that to be our goal and our vision. All children deserve quality care, you know, no matter your family's financial resources.
Dane Shoemaker:So Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It's just one of many stories. Yeah. And they are still here with us today.
Dane Shoemaker:Oh, wow.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:That's great. Kids are thriving.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:That's great. Yeah. I mean, you could just feel a real strong sense of community here. You know, as soon as you pull up, I mean, you could just everyone's happy. Everyone's happy to see each other and yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:It's
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:You know.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And I just think about if you were that family in need struggling to figure out where you're going to pay for these things, you're already dealing with the the trauma of thinking of your child with, you know, having a a heart transplant is huge and not knowing how you're gonna even cover the cost of transporting back and forth to the hospital. So it just Yeah. It just really hits you. And and that's when you know you're making a difference. Right.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Everybody comes together and pitches in and helps.
Dane Shoemaker:So explain to me a little bit about the philosophy here, you know, as it relates to place based education. Can you explain, you know, what that is? And
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yes. Yeah. Yes. That was a new term to me. It's something that we've been doing for years, but, one of my staff members explained to me the term place based education.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It's really taking the resources that you have right here where you are geographically, to teach children. So rather than teaching about the rainforest while they're 3, let's teach about the squirrels, the deer, the groundhogs, the farm
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Our farm animals, and that also extends out to our local community. Like, even being able maybe to teach them about the work that you do, or there's an event that we have coming up. It's flag day, a couple Fridays from now, and our children will take a school bus for the first time, and they'll go over to the Veterans Memorial, and they'll sing as part of the events of flag day. Oh, wow. So place based is using the place where you are to teach about life and about the environment.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And what a great place
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:To teach it.
Dane Shoemaker:Because they can you know, it's they're present. They can reach out and touch and feel and sense things and
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Exactly.
Dane Shoemaker:You know, experience things with their peers and yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Exactly. I Interesting. My favorite quote is tell me I forget, show me I remember, involve me I understand. Yeah. And I feel like if we involved all of the local community, that's that's what really makes us come alive.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We have a lot of partnerships with a lot of local businesses and restaurants and corporations and foundations. So
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Use use what you have right here and now to
Dane Shoemaker:Right. Right. Fabulous. So, you know, what are what are some of the the biggest challenges that, you know, this organization faces today?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:If I zoom in straight to childcare, and I it's not just childcare, but one of the biggest challenges is continuing the scholarships for families in need. So we have different revenue streams, but what really is needed are people who are passionate about the work that we do, believe that all children deserve high quality experiences in childcare, in summer camp, in connecting with the animals and agriculture education, to really believe in us and to consider either volunteering, gifts in kind, donating. I mean, it it all comes together as part of this larger challenge that, we face daily, we look at it.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. I mean, in childcare, you have you have the childcare cost. Families can only pay so much. As an organization, you need to continue to take care of your staff.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Labor costs have gone up in the last several years.
Dane Shoemaker:Yep.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:And it's probably going to take government stepping in to help or donors. So that's that's our biggest challenge, I think.
Dane Shoemaker:What about, the teachers, you know, do you find it's, you know, that what what are the challenges that teachers face? I mean, is it in terms of, like, turnover and retention, do you do you find that's an issue or do you are you above the grade, would you say, compared to other schools, you know?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It goes through phases.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:I'd I'd like to think we're above the grade, but it's definitely sort of a roller coaster.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:I've seen times where we've had some significant turnover, and I've seen times where we were very, very steady. Right now, I feel like we're we're moving into more steady territory.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:But yeah. I mean, in early childhood, in general, you definitely see some turnover.
Dane Shoemaker:You know, you guys are a really a pivotal member of the community. Right? Tell me a little bit about the partnerships that you have with businesses, different associations, local government. You know, talk a little bit about that. Yeah.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It's been amazing. First of all, the local township has been extremely supportive of us. Steve Nies is a cheerleader for us, and Leonard Alterra has been a cheerleader for us because they believe in the work that we do. Newtown Square Business Association has been very helpful throughout the years. We found out about you through the business association, and other local community members that participate have been great through the association.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Also, the local businesses, local We've also seen an uptick in how many politicians have come through and have taken note of the great work that we're doing here and have also been our cheerleaders and very supportive. Yeah. It's it's incredible. And in individual community members as well, there are several people who volunteer or donate or spread the word about what we do. It's it's been incredible.
Dane Shoemaker:You know, so tell me a little bit about the your vision for the future of Garrett Williamson.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:I see us continuing to thrive. I see us further furthering our partnerships with the local community.
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:While I talk about how great it's been, I still feel like we are sort of a secret. So we want more people to know about us. We would encourage people to come out and participate when we have public events like bird walks, hikes, family farmyards, especially the harvest festival. Happens every year in October. This year, it's October 19th.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So I see us continuing to build our partnerships with our community. I see us growing our volunteer base, and I see us really continuing to focus on having great experiences for children and families regardless of financial means.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. I can, I can attest to the the bird walks because they're always full? So feel free to do more of those whenever Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah. We will work on that.
Dane Shoemaker:Because you have a pretty big trail system here. Right?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We do. Yeah. We do. And just a note, the trail system, we do have public events
Dane Shoemaker:Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:But the trails aren't open to the public full time as a park would be. So
Dane Shoemaker:Right. Right.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:They are open during scheduled events.
Dane Shoemaker:Right. So tell me about how how do you fund your operations here?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So other than individual donors and families who pay tuition, we also have a robust grants, situation where we go out and seek grants. For example Okay. The foundation for Delaware County has been such a support to us and what we do here. They recently gave us a grant for a pilot program where we brought every student from Stetzer Elementary School in Chester to come out to the farm and visit the animals and see, you know, where food comes from because our animals, some of them do go to market.
Dane Shoemaker:Right.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So, children do learn about that. They got to see where fruits and vegetables are grown. They got to taste things from the gardens. And that's a huge part of how we can afford to continue these programs and expand these programs like field trips.
Dane Shoemaker:So how can the community get involved, support Garrett Williamson?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Good question. So we are always looking for individuals who have a passion for what we do here. You know, the environment, the open space, the early childhood education, the agriculture education. So if there are individuals who really feel connected to those parts of our mission, we love volunteers, and we have a path to be a volunteer. Okay.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:We also look for anybody who might have something they could share with us. This is a silly one, but for example, we have cozy coops, little ride on bikes for the kids. We are constantly collecting them, from the community. So that's just one example of sometimes people have something to share that we could use. We use pots and pans in our mud kitchen in the woods, so that's a help.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:So, volunteers, gifts in kind, donors who really gravitate towards what we do. And just, you know, if there's anything that a community member sees or thinks about that they would like to share with us that might be a complement to the activities we already do here, you know, give us a call. I'd love to hear about it. And really come out to our events, especially the harvest festival on October 19th. I mean, just to circle back, if it's of interest of folks, Elizabeth Garrett wanted us to use the farm and all of her belongings, like I said, for these activities for people that wouldn't otherwise see a farm like setting.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It is our goal to hold on to this property, to keep it open space, to use it with the best of intentions. And that's probably important for the community to know that we we wanna stay whole. We wanna keep our 240 acres to be able to use as a community resource. And I know that that's sort of unique in the middle of Newtown Square where everything seems to be getting built up.
Dane Shoemaker:Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Again, just a a treasure here, you know, beautiful space and the mission that you guys have is is incredible. So, you know, Carol is really great chatting with you today and
Carol Kaplan Ruark:It's great to talk to you, Dane. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. This was awesome.
Dane Shoemaker:Yeah. Absolutely. So, people can find more information, garrittwilliamson.org?
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Garrittwilliamson.org. They can call us at 610 353-7690. They could reach out to me. They could reach out to Georgine, our director of donor engagement. Please feel free to call us, write to us, check out our website.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Yeah.
Dane Shoemaker:Sounds great.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Thank you.
Dane Shoemaker:Thanks, Carol.
Carol Kaplan Ruark:Have a great day.
Dane Shoemaker:You too.
Dane Shoemaker:Thanks for listening today. Shoemaker Lab is an original production by Shoemaker Films LLC. If you enjoyed today's content, please consider subscribing on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever
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