Jolene,
As someone who is very allergic to bees one might assume I stay clear of them. Not true! In fact, I love bees so much!! Everything about them is so cool. I love watching them do their thing in our gardens. I could sit and watch them all day. They are calm,inquisitive little things and they aren't out to cause harm - just the opposite - they do so much for us and I am so grateful for them.
They are docile and gentle and just want space to do their job and take care of their hives. Much like us I find bees to be curious about new things in their surroundings and I remember that when they come to check me out - I stay calm and let them "bee" (pun intended), Soon enough, just like my kids, they get bored of me and get back to more important tasks - like keeping the world alive! The only thing my bee allergy has prevented me from doing is hugging the bees - which is probably for the best!
Kate Jones- applehill apothecary
As someone who is very allergic to bees one might assume I stay clear of them. Not true! In fact, I love bees so much!! Everything about them is so cool. I love watching them do their thing in our gardens. I could sit and watch them all day. They are calm,inquisitive little things and they aren't out to cause harm - just the opposite - they do so much for us and I am so grateful for them.
They are docile and gentle and just want space to do their job and take care of their hives. Much like us I find bees to be curious about new things in their surroundings and I remember that when they come to check me out - I stay calm and let them "bee" (pun intended), Soon enough, just like my kids, they get bored of me and get back to more important tasks - like keeping the world alive! The only thing my bee allergy has prevented me from doing is hugging the bees - which is probably for the best!
Kate Jones- applehill apothecary
To whom it may concern
Jolene's beekeeping has been such a wonderful experience! I’ve learned so much about bees and how important they are to all of us. I’ve loved watching her work with the bees and how calm she always is. I think children’s books would be a wonderful way to educate not only the child but their parents as they read the books to them. Jolene has sent out such wonderful info videos to us beekeepers all summer. I’ve enjoyed everyone! Hope this helps you to see what an asset Jolene is to the beekeeping world of education!
Kathy Boggio host a hive participant
Jolene's beekeeping has been such a wonderful experience! I’ve learned so much about bees and how important they are to all of us. I’ve loved watching her work with the bees and how calm she always is. I think children’s books would be a wonderful way to educate not only the child but their parents as they read the books to them. Jolene has sent out such wonderful info videos to us beekeepers all summer. I’ve enjoyed everyone! Hope this helps you to see what an asset Jolene is to the beekeeping world of education!
Kathy Boggio host a hive participant
Dear Jolene Drouin,
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the positive and informative session you provided to my kindergarten classroom through the Niagara Bee Group. Your presentation on how honey is made was engaging, age-appropriate, and incredibly well explained. You demonstrated great patience with the children and took the time to answer their questions while keeping them actively involved. The students were excited to learn about bees and gained a better understanding of how important they are to our environment and our everyday lives. One of the highlights of the session was giving the children the opportunity to extract honey from the combs. This hands-on experience truly captured their attention and made the learning meaningful and memorable. The students were fully engaged throughout the session and continued talking about bees and honey long after it ended. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion with our class. Your visit was a valuable learning experience, and we truly appreciate the time and care you put into making it such a success.
Sincerely, Michael Folino, Cherry Wood Acres Public School
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the positive and informative session you provided to my kindergarten classroom through the Niagara Bee Group. Your presentation on how honey is made was engaging, age-appropriate, and incredibly well explained. You demonstrated great patience with the children and took the time to answer their questions while keeping them actively involved. The students were excited to learn about bees and gained a better understanding of how important they are to our environment and our everyday lives. One of the highlights of the session was giving the children the opportunity to extract honey from the combs. This hands-on experience truly captured their attention and made the learning meaningful and memorable. The students were fully engaged throughout the session and continued talking about bees and honey long after it ended. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion with our class. Your visit was a valuable learning experience, and we truly appreciate the time and care you put into making it such a success.
Sincerely, Michael Folino, Cherry Wood Acres Public School
Hi George,
Greetings from the south of France. We hope that your well and you’ve had a chance to relocate all of your hives to their new homes before the early winter arrived. Sorry we didn’t thank you for all of your hard work and the amazing honey before we left for our trip. Both pails of honey that you and Jolene dropped by were so different from each other in taste and texture and both deliciously complex. A great treat that we’ll enjoy as will our friends and family. George, the Host a Hive Program was so wonderful for us this year. Jolene’s participation certainly added a new level to the program. Her attention, expertise, and her energy motivated us to learn more and become more engaged with our little bee residents. And her creative, impassioned communication updates reinforced our commitment to this important environmental piece of our world. We think the program is fantastic and support it continuing and expanding in our region.
Jan and Donna putman host a hive participant
Greetings from the south of France. We hope that your well and you’ve had a chance to relocate all of your hives to their new homes before the early winter arrived. Sorry we didn’t thank you for all of your hard work and the amazing honey before we left for our trip. Both pails of honey that you and Jolene dropped by were so different from each other in taste and texture and both deliciously complex. A great treat that we’ll enjoy as will our friends and family. George, the Host a Hive Program was so wonderful for us this year. Jolene’s participation certainly added a new level to the program. Her attention, expertise, and her energy motivated us to learn more and become more engaged with our little bee residents. And her creative, impassioned communication updates reinforced our commitment to this important environmental piece of our world. We think the program is fantastic and support it continuing and expanding in our region.
Jan and Donna putman host a hive participant
Dear Jolene Drouin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit our classroom and demonstrate the honey extraction process to our little ones. All the children and their families had a great time. Young children were fascinated by the hands-on experience and enjoyed learning where honey comes from. Our preschoolers were so excited to turn the handle to spin the frames. It's fantastic to see the children's curiosity grow as they observed, turned the handle, and felt the honey texture. Parents and caregivers also truly appreciated the opportunity to learn alongside their children. Many shared how meaningful it was to be part of a real-life learning experience that connected nature, food, and community. We are very grateful for your generosity, patience, and kindness for sharing your knowledge with us. Your visit made a lasting impression and enriched our learning environment in a very special way. Thank you again for being such a wonderful supporter of our early learning program. We are so lucky to have you here.
With sincere appreciation, Lihang Wang, Early Onn Family Center
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit our classroom and demonstrate the honey extraction process to our little ones. All the children and their families had a great time. Young children were fascinated by the hands-on experience and enjoyed learning where honey comes from. Our preschoolers were so excited to turn the handle to spin the frames. It's fantastic to see the children's curiosity grow as they observed, turned the handle, and felt the honey texture. Parents and caregivers also truly appreciated the opportunity to learn alongside their children. Many shared how meaningful it was to be part of a real-life learning experience that connected nature, food, and community. We are very grateful for your generosity, patience, and kindness for sharing your knowledge with us. Your visit made a lasting impression and enriched our learning environment in a very special way. Thank you again for being such a wonderful supporter of our early learning program. We are so lucky to have you here.
With sincere appreciation, Lihang Wang, Early Onn Family Center
Hi George,
Jolenè did an exceptional job. She was knowledgeable, approachable, and communicated the information clearly and confidently. She engaged easily with a wide range of participants from seasoned gardeners to beginners and handled questions thoughtfully and with ease. Her enthusiasm was evident and helped create a welcoming, informative experience for everyone who stopped by her table. From an organizer’s perspective, Jolenè represented the Niagara Bee extremely well. She was professional, prepared, and a pleasure to work with. If this event is any indication, she is very well positioned to step into a larger role in the future. She was just so excited to chat with anyone about bees and what they mean to our world. Thank you again for your continued support and involvement. We truly value her participation and look forward to working together again.
Warmest regards, Tami Lyons
Jolenè did an exceptional job. She was knowledgeable, approachable, and communicated the information clearly and confidently. She engaged easily with a wide range of participants from seasoned gardeners to beginners and handled questions thoughtfully and with ease. Her enthusiasm was evident and helped create a welcoming, informative experience for everyone who stopped by her table. From an organizer’s perspective, Jolenè represented the Niagara Bee extremely well. She was professional, prepared, and a pleasure to work with. If this event is any indication, she is very well positioned to step into a larger role in the future. She was just so excited to chat with anyone about bees and what they mean to our world. Thank you again for your continued support and involvement. We truly value her participation and look forward to working together again.
Warmest regards, Tami Lyons
Hey Bee Team,
I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I truly enjoy being part of this incredible group. Every time I get to work on videos, web, or anything media related for the Niagara Bee Group, it honestly puts a big smile on my face. (And no, it’s not just because I’ve had too much honey… although that may also be true. What we’re doing together really matters. We’re not just talking about bees and biodiversity, we’re helping people see the beauty, the importance, and the urgency of protecting something much bigger than ourselves. That’s pretty amazing. And the best part? I get to do this alongside all of you. Such a passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated team. You make this work fun, meaningful, and inspiring. I’m truly grateful to be able to contribute through my media work and help share the story we’re building together. It’s a story worth telling, and you’re all a big reason why.
Thanks for being such an awesome hive to be part of - Kevin Gibson
I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I truly enjoy being part of this incredible group. Every time I get to work on videos, web, or anything media related for the Niagara Bee Group, it honestly puts a big smile on my face. (And no, it’s not just because I’ve had too much honey… although that may also be true. What we’re doing together really matters. We’re not just talking about bees and biodiversity, we’re helping people see the beauty, the importance, and the urgency of protecting something much bigger than ourselves. That’s pretty amazing. And the best part? I get to do this alongside all of you. Such a passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated team. You make this work fun, meaningful, and inspiring. I’m truly grateful to be able to contribute through my media work and help share the story we’re building together. It’s a story worth telling, and you’re all a big reason why.
Thanks for being such an awesome hive to be part of - Kevin Gibson
