Every superhero has an origin story, and the superhero staff and interns at Monk Gardens are no different!

Read on to learn what were the influences and experiences that made our Facilities and Grounds Director, Patrick Murphy, pursue a career in a nature-based field!

“The tornado sirens could be heard in  the nearby town as the lightning flashed and the trees violently danced around us. We were on the final night of my first real camping and canoe trip and the silence among my tent mates and fellow scouts spoke the seriousness of the situation. There was no escaping the storm’s wrath but as streams of water flowed through our tents and lightning unrelentingly lit up the night sky. When we painfully crawled from the tents and rung ourselves out, we all vowed to never again be a part of something like that again. However, many of us returned time and time again to camp, grow, and learn through camping and high adventure in the greatest classroom and setting offered.

Nearly thirty years were spent as a camper, staff, and director of YMCA and recreational camps. Between the adventures, friendships, and campfires experienced at camp as well as memories crafted on family vacations to the Black Hills, Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Glacier National Park and more, my love and passion for the outdoors has been a cornerstone of my life. From that first 50 miler canoe trip in 5th grade, week long adventures on the Namkegon and St. Croix Rivers, rafting the Shoshone River, snorkeling coral reefs, to silently standing sentinel atop Grinnell Glacier Overlook, my appreciation for all that mother nature and this wonderful planet offers constantly reminds me what a precious privilege it is to be alive in the world around us. 

As I take on the challenge of managing the grounds and operations for MBG, I know have the ability to create and supplement outdoor experiences for all ages. I often spend a lot of time looking down at the dirt, in a hole, or into a tool box as part of my work but it is then that I remind myself to pause, enjoy, and breathe. To see the greater picture and how to frame it for others is one of the most fantastic opportunities in the work that I do.”