Donna Cummins is the Chairman of our Garden Therapy committee. Donna is into her second year as chairman of this committee and has gotten the year off to a good start. The chairman of Garden Therapy has to have a willing heart to serve with all of the very special folks in the assisted living facilities and nursing homes in Brenham. Donna has done a wonderful job of preparing a program for all to enjoy and to bring back their memory of working in their gardens and creating beautiful things for their homes.
It is a privilege to visit with all of the residents in these homes here in Brenham. The craft therapy we provide is truly lagniappe compared to the interaction that goes on between our garden club members and the residents.
Garden Therapy 2019 - 2021
Garden Therapy took a big hit from COVID-19 this year, but Donna Cummins, Chairman has a plan! We will begin making small arrangements for each resident at the various facilities and deliver them so they can be distributed by staff. This is one of the favorite activities of club members and we do hope that sometime soon we will be able to continue our tradition of working with the residents personally.
Some of the arrangements created for Garden Therapy.
Garden Therapy 2018 - 2019
High Hope Nursing Home - October, 2018
May 2018 Brenham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
april 2018 - Argent court Assisted living
March 2018 - Gazebo Terrace Convalescent Home
November 2017 - Kruse Memorial Lutheran Village
May 2017 - Brenham Rehab
Perhaps we are just too busy or having to much fun with the residents of the many nursing homes we visit during the year because we have NO pictures. Thankfully we did take some this time because these ladies are all so precious. ANN WATSON has done an incredible job of planning and presenting these last few years! Thank you so much, Ann, for your efforts and your dedication to bring joy and love to these lovely people if only for just a little while.
We enjoyed talking about herbs this year. Each of the ladies had their favorite - basil and rosemary being the ones chosen most. We helped them make a nice bouquet to take back to their rooms to enjoy the beauty and the fragrance. The joy on their faces - priceless.
october, 2016 - high hope nursing home
January 2016 - Kruse Village/LaRoche
What a wonderful morning spent with delightful ladies (and a couple of gentlemen) at the assisted living area of Kruse Village. Ann Watson, with "helpers" Sandy Batt, Donna Cummins, Carolyn Sander and Merlene Schumacher, presented an interesting program on roses.
Ann passed around a vase full of roses from her garden encouraging the residents to smell what antique floribunda roses smell like and then compare them to the tea roses she also had brought. She showed them some favorite roses in one of Mike Shoup's beautiful books. She asked each one what their favorite rose was and also talked about the different meanings of different colored roses. The residents loved choosing their favorite color rose along with some leatherleaf fern and placing it in a pretty little Coca Cola glass turned vase. What a blessing we received as they interacted with us and then expressed their sincere appreciation for the joy we brought them.
Don't miss a chance to serve with garden therapy at one of our nursing homes here in Brenham! Here are a few photos from this morning.
Residents with January Garden Therapy helpers - Donna Cummins, Sandy Batt, Merlene, Ann Watson, Carolyn Sander.
Ann Watson, Chairman of Garden Therapy, has a real love and affection for all of the residents and does a fabulous job!
Slideshow above...Click on photos to begin.
JANUARY 2015 - Brenham Care Center
Freda Martin and Ann Lehmann prepare the roses before helping Brenham Rest Home residents make arrangements.
Residents of Brenham Care Center were thrilled to take their roses back to their rooms.
November, 2014 Garden therapy
Residents of High Hope Care Center enjoy planting flowers in pumpkins.