When members of the Environmental Sustainability Committee at Winchester Gardens recently partnered with New Jersey activist and artist Anne Dushanko Dobek to create colorful butterfly installations for the community, they weren’t simply making art.
They were helping spark conversations about climate change, biodiversity, and the critical role pollinators play in our environment—issues that have become increasingly urgent as communities across the country look for ways to support local ecosystems.
At the heart of the effort was resident Jackie Herships, a former journalist, avid blogger and storyteller, and lifelong community advocate who believes meaningful change often starts with a conversation.
A Resident with a Vision
A longtime Maplewood resident who moved to Winchester Gardens just over four years ago, Jackie has spent much of her life connecting people through stories. During her career as a writer and journalist, including time at The Star-Ledger, she learned the power of asking questions, building relationships, and helping people better understand one another and the world around them.
Today, she brings those same skills to community life at Winchester Gardens.
“I think of myself as a connector, catalyst and coach,” Jackie says.
The Butterfly Project – with a Larger Purpose
Those qualities helped inspire one of Winchester Gardens’ most visible environmental initiatives. Working with fellow residents – including Tom Schrader, Rosemary Guttormsson, Joyce Rannestad, and Elaine Goldman – Jackie organized a presentation featuring Ms. Dobek titled The Butterfly Project to raise awareness of the fight against climate change.
These residents then came together to create and display colorful butterflies in a high-traffic area of the community, transforming a shared creative project into a powerful educational opportunity. The initiative generated conversations among residents, team members, and visitors alike, while also drawing attention from local media outlets interested in the project’s message and impact.
For Jackie, the project wasn’t simply about butterflies. It was about helping people recognize that everyone has a role to play in creating positive change.
“When a community comes together around a shared purpose, it can have a real impact,” she says.
Rooted in Community
While many of Jackie’s efforts focus on environmental stewardship, her passion is ultimately about people and place.
As an advocate of Maplewood, Jackie never viewed her move to Winchester Gardens as leaving the community behind. Instead, she saw it as an opportunity to deepen her connection to a town she has long loved and served.
That perspective shapes much of her work today. Jackie recently joined Maplewood’s Senior Advisory Committee, helping strengthen connections between Winchester Gardens and the broader community. She believes Winchester occupies a unique place in Maplewood’s history and identity—one that extends well beyond its campus (which was originally crafted by the world-famous firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, designers of New York City’s Central Park).
“People in the larger community find Winchester so special,” she says.
Preserving a Legacy of Engagement & Building Sustainable Partnerships
For generations, Winchester Gardens has been woven into the fabric of Maplewood, serving not only as a home for older adults but as a place where residents continue to share their talents, experiences, and leadership. Jackie believes that legacy carries an important responsibility: to remain engaged with the community and continue contributing to its future.
She sees opportunities everywhere to build those connections, whether through educational programs, environmental initiatives, or partnerships with local organizations.
Most recently, that commitment led her to help initiate Winchester Gardens’ partnership with Java’s Compost, a local family-owned composting company. By introducing the organization’s founders to Winchester Gardens’ Senior Director of Dining Services, Chef Pnina Peled, Jackie helped launch a collaboration that supports environmentally responsible practices while reducing food waste.
The effort reflects her broader belief that communities—large and small—can serve as examples of sustainable living and responsible stewardship.
Stories that Strengthen Communities
At the same time, storytelling remains at the center of everything she does.
Through blogging and sharing human-interest stories on social media, Jackie continues to shine a light on the people, experiences and connections that make communities thrive.
“Blogging and sharing these stories on Instagram now makes my life so much bigger,” she says.
It’s a philosophy that reflects both her professional background and her approach to life at Winchester Gardens: stories have the power to connect people, inspire action and strengthen communities.
Inspiring the Next Chapter
As awareness grows around environmental issues and communities seek new ways to create positive change, residents like Jackie are demonstrating the important role older adults can play as advocates, educators and community builders.
At Winchester Gardens—a community with deep roots in Maplewood and a long tradition of resident engagement—Jackie’s passion for storytelling, sustainability and connection continues to inspire others to make a difference. Through projects large and small, she is helping ensure that Winchester’s legacy remains not only one of history, but of ongoing impact.
