planting flowers and vegetables by CLUB members for residents at birchwood

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​Stepping up to meet community needs again - Flowers and Vegetables for Birchwood Residents
DATE: JUNE 5, 2023 - 9:30 - 1030 am - Bring donated flower plants to Vermont Garden Park 
                                       11:00 am - Planting flowers and vegetables at Birchwood
Karen Villanti - Project coordinator

February 2023 - Bouquets for Birchwood Terrace Rehab and Health Center
​The Burlington Garden Club (BGC) members recently participated in their 3rd “Annual Bouquets for Birchwood” for residents of Birchwood Terrace Rehab and Healthcare in Burlington. The BGC gardeners used their talents of floral design, to make cheerful vases of fresh flowers. The goal was to make bouquets for each resident and brighten the day rooms and team stations. The club members’ ingenuity of coordinated flower colors and saved jars was the ideal combination to hold the beautiful floral arrangements.  The colorful bouquets of flowers and flowering plants were a perfect opportunity to bring joy and happy faces to the residents and staff on the memory, long-term and subacute rehab units.
 
“Bouquets for Birchwood emerged as a BGC project to bring beauty and smiles to long term care facility residents during the darkest, coldest part of the year”, stated Karen Villanti, BGC project coordinator. The delivery on Groundhog Day – knowing the groundhog would see their shadow and a prediction of six more weeks of winter, the BGC members’ desire for the residents and staff at Birchwood was to experience “instant Spring!”  
 
Ninety-two (92) small flower arrangements and small flowering plants were transported to Birchwood where the residents were waiting for this festive delightful joy.  Linnie Aubin, Recreational Enrichment Director at Birchwood Terrace Rehab and Healthcare greeted Karen Villanti and Doris Van Mullen, club members on their arrival. Linnie, with her sparkling eyes, looking around in the overflowing lobby of stunning beautiful flowers stated, “this is my favorite day of the year!  Many wonderful people think of our residents during the holidays, however during this quieter time of the year having this gorgeous variety of flowers will make everyone so happy!  Thank you.”
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June 2022
Club members took on this robust project again.... bringing smiles and joy to residents at Birchwood Rehab and Health Care Center. 
Through Karen's coordination of the club members donating sun loving flowers and/or assisting reisdents in the planting of the flowers and plants in  the raised boxes and pots.... flowers and club members arrived at Birchwood on a beautiful June day during National Garden Club ....flowers were planted with the help of some of the residents. Some residents came out to talk, to observe, and to participate in the plantings.... now the residents will wait for happiness of bloom in the back yard of the residence. Love and spirit resonated with people in the garden today ....the space where creativity, boosted moods, stress reduction and eliminating air pollen were great vitamins for us.

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