"I recently volunteered at the Horticultural Therapy Program. When I volunteer I am always rewarded with smiles and enjoyment of the people attending. This time I was rewarded 3-fold. I have never experienced the response of these 4 events. It was Shelly Vergeer who brought it to West Lorne and her sister Annette, who has a degree in Horticulture from Guelph, did the presentations. Annette is volunteering in Horticultural programs in Guelph working towards her registration as a Horticultural Therapist. Everyday she brought a payload of plants, topsoil, bags and all the materials needed. The participants were so enthusiastic and chatty that sometimes she had to project her voice to be heard but when she spoke everyone was silent because her knowledge and experience awed us all. She was a professional in every sense of the word with an ease that made us all feel comfortable. Every session she either gave us quality and healthy plants to dissect and plant or showed us how to make a Japanese ball (Kokedama) to display or how to use paints she brought to create cards and prints. And then came the succulents. With wisdom and patience she showed us how to care for the ones we were taking home. Which ones were hardy and which ones more fragile. As I said, I have been a volunteer for more than a few years at WECHC and attended many events but I have never seen the enthusiasm and joy that I saw in the people attending these 4 sessions. By the time the fourth one finished we all felt like we had made new friends. In attendance were residents of all 3 communities, people wo had recently moved to the area, some in their nineties and even some younger faces. Men as well as women were in attendance. Everyone left with their arms full, a smile on their face and one question... when can we do this again" Gayle.
The Horticultural Wellness Program also recently created a poem. It is based on words that came to mind when participants were thinking about certain flowers. What a beautiful, collaborative poem! Enoy!
