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Green spaces for golden years

Hopes grow for greenhouses at seniors’ homes
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Growth and healing come out of the rich soil of experience. Seniors go together with gardening like green thumbs go with greenhouses. Who better to know the details of plants, and have the time for applying a lifetime of learning than our elder population?

The Lakes District Senior Citizen Housing Association (LDSCHA) wants to engage all that knowledge, know-how, and motivation under their many roofs. This not-for-profit society operates Carroll Cottage, Heritage Manor and Tweedsmuir House, altogether home for a large number of the community’s elders. The LDSCHA would like to greenhouses at each of these housing complexes.

“Gardening has proven to stimulate senses, strengthen our connections with nature and can reward us with fresh flowers and nutritious food, as most community members have seen in the past with the beautiful flowers that each tenant has grown each season,” said Wendy Hiebert, the association’s administrator. “A senior-friendly approach to gardening is all about emphasizing the gardener’s ability and accommodating their limitations. We would like to create waist/walker-level raised beds in each greenhouse which will minimize bending and straining.”

To build on this goal, a fundraising campaign is underway now. The first component was a cinnamon bun auction in December that raised $1,435.

A Burns Lake Bottle Depot account has been set up for donations of cans and bottles.

A Toonie Dessert Gala is coming up at Tweedsmuir House on Feb 13.

But right now the LDSCHA is selling safety to raise the roof on these three proposed greenhouses. A number of first-aid kit options are up for sale, with proceeds to their agri-goal. From now until Feb. 6, order forms are available.

Heibert directed anyone interested in a first-aid kit to look up the Lakes District Senior Citizen Housing Association page on Facebook, where the information is featured. It is also possible to drop by Tweedsmuir House between 9am-5pm (no appointment necessary) or call Hiebert at 250-692-3781.