Olivia White Hospice Home Garden Volunteers: thanks

Gardens Founded in 2001 - Home in 2002

Echinacea - Photo by Laura Davis

The garden began in 2001 with the help of Norm Erickson, a Northland Hospice volunteer, at the corner of Switzer Canyon Drive and Turquoise. At that time the home had not been completed but a beautiful sign was placed on the corner. Norm continued to work on the beds on the east side of the sidewalk along Switzer Canyon Drive and in front of the home, until 2008. The rest of the gardens were developed by a core of Coconino County Master Gardeners initially led by Laura Davis and since 2007 by Loni Shapiro.

The garden crew is active from April-October and sometimes in November weather permitting. Work happens weekly throughout the garden season on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 am-12:00 pm. It also is scheduled for one Saturday a month from April through October. Cancellations due to weather will be posted by 6:00 am of the workday on this blog. You must attend a spring orientation to the garden and Northland Hospice & Palliative Care in order to work. A summary of the work that has been done is included on the blog. Look for weekly postings on this blog during the garden season.

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Volunteering in the Garden

2015 Calendar

April 13, 11:30-1:30 Lunch and orientation for new volunteers at hospice and TB testing for all

April 16, 9:15-10 TB tests read and 10:00 garden orientation. First Thursday workday 9-12

April 20, First Monday workday 9-12

May 2, Saturday workday 9-12

If you are interested in volunteering, please email CrysWells@gmail.com.

Please note: TB testing is required annually for all garden volunteers.

If you have current TB results that were done by a physician or at a hospital, these may be submitted to Northland Hospice.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact the volunteer coordinator Kathy Simmons (ksimmons@northlandhospice.org) to schedule a time for testing and orientation.

Showing posts with label thanks. Show all posts

Monday, February 25, 2013

Thank You from Peggy Sheldon-Scurlock to the Gardeners

On this windy wintery day with the hope of Spring peeking through the snow I want to express my gratitude for the OWHH Gardens and Gardeners.

Numerous times the patients at OWHH, their families, the neighbors and many in the community have shared with me how much they value the OWHH Gardens. They see the gardeners working and people outside enjoying the gardens, engaging in the seasons that such an environment offers, a true reflection of the seasons of life. Many have said they see these gardens as being one of the most sincere places of the heart here in Flagstaff offering respite, beauty, solace peace and the hope of new life.

These Gardens have become a steadfast ambassador for the Norhtland Hospice programs in a most vibrant way with the various colors, blossoms, wildlife and stages of growth that life offers.

Thank you Loni and All Hearty Gardeners. We are all fortunate that you like to play in the dirt, wield pruning shears, move rocks, attract bees, conserve water, propagate native plants, extract brambles, nurture beauty, envision landscapes and plant hope!

With gratitude,
Peggy Sheldon-Scurlock
Patient Care Volunteer
Olivia White Hospice Home

Monday, November 12, 2012

2012 Season Thank You

Thank You for Another Successful Year in the Gardens of Olivia White Hospice Home. Thank you to all our regular volunteer gardeners (master gardeners & hospice supporters) for a very successful garden season. We had a difficult year with few regular volunteers due to age related injuries, but Mother Nature came through with a great monsoon season to make our gardens more beautiful than ever. Special thanks go to those groups that continue to support us throughout the year with their generous donations of time and or materials. Warner’s Landscape and Nursery continued with a 10^th year of 10% of proceeds day for Olivia White Hospice as well as discounts for purchases. Other groups who helped with their time included; Flagstaff High School, NAU Honors Class, Girls for Good, and AmeriCorp. The Bountiful Alliance Foundation awarded another grant to continue to develop a garden to honor Michael Moore (writer and naturalist). Work on the Native Medicinal Garden began in 2010 and continued throughout this year. Last of all Dave & Terri Hill continued their generous support of the gardens with a donation of an outdoor table for residents, families, and staff.

One of our many groups - NAU Honors Class

We entered the Native Plant Society contest and received 2 special recognition awards for the best Mini Meadow Garden (Kay Balzer) and most Heartwarming Canine Memorial (Loni Shapiro). Other major work included revamping the front garden beds, and beginning a remodel of an area where two ponderosa trees were removed and two sheds added. That work will continue next year along with work on the corner garden. Thanks to the City of Flagstaff we will have an Urban Trail surrounding the property extending all the way to the Y.

The gardens and Olivia White Home continue to be an inspiration for all residents in Flagstaff. They help those in need of the services offered, need a quiet place to contemplate life, celebrate others lives, just enjoy passing by, and as a place for gardeners to learn. This year visits included: the Native Plant Society Annual Garden Tours, the Senior Companion/Foster Grandparent programs, and the Arboretum docents and staff. We also had a large group of visitors in the garden for the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Olivia White Home in August. The Mayor declared it Marilyn Pate Day - the founder of Northland Hospice and the Olivia White Hospice Home.

We begin our season in January with monthly planning meetings until April when weather permitting we began cleaning up the garden. Watch our blog (owhospicegardenvolunteers.blogspot.com) for dates and beginning orientation to the gardens. We are always looking for new volunteers.

Flagstaff ….. thank you again for your generous spirit!

“Gardens are not inherently meaningful in many ways; but, making a garden and caring for it creates meaningfulness.
If you plant it, they will come."
- Michael P. Garofalo, Pulling Onions

Loni Shapiro, Master Gardener

and the volunteer gardeners of Olivia White Hospice Home

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Thank You to the Flagstaff Community 12/11

Thank You from the VolunteerGardeners at Olivia White Hospice Home

Thank you to all our regularvolunteer gardeners (master gardeners & hospice supporters) for a verysuccessful garden season. Each year our garden crew grows. This year we had 18regular and 5 seasonal volunteers. Because of that, for a second year we wereable to do a Plant and Garden sale. Additional thanks to those that continue tosupport us throughout the year with their generous donations of materials andtime. Warner’s Landscape and Nursery continued with an 8^th year of 10%of proceeds day for Olivia White Hospice as well as discounts for purchases. The Flagstaff Leadership Program held afundraiser for us at 1^st Friday Artwalk, and spent a day in thegarden helping us get the season started. The Bountiful Alliance foundation awarded another grant to continue to developa garden to honor Michael Moore (writer and naturalist). Work on the Native Medicinal Garden began in2010 and will continue in 2012. Last ofall Dave & Terri Hill continued their generous support of the gardens bydonating arbors and fencing for a new garden entry. We had our usual group help from the community(AmeriCorps, Northland Prep Academy, and Flagstaff High Honor Society), andindividual donations by many families who utilized services offered in thehome. One family made an unusualdonation. They donated a 100 year old lilac that came all the way from backeast. It was dug up by two of ourgardeners from the former resident’s yard and replanted in front of the home.The family also added a dedication sign and some rock that came from Iowa.

Because of the generous support from the community wewere able to purchase a large shed, some new composters and wheelbarrows inaddition to our plant material. We addedone new garden and revamped an old garden from 2002. In May the new garden wasdedicated to our long time therapy dog Zane. It is backed by our birdhousetrellis which now has a small memorial brick area dedicated to pets. Zane’ssuccessor Murphy was in attendance at the dedication along with manyfriends. Thanks also go to Dana PromSmith who reminded us about the importance of dogs (pets) in all our lives.

Thank You to the Flagstaff Leadership Program from the Daily Sun 5/1

The volunteer gardeners of the Olivia White Hospice Home would like to thank the Flagstaff Leadership Program for getting the 2011 season off to a good start. The first thing they did for us was at the 1st Friday Art Walk, raising more than $1100. We were able to purchase a new larger shed, 2 wheelbarrows, and a new composter, and still have funds available for other needs during the season. They have provided us with resources for a sandstone sign for the new Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden and manure to feed our beds this season. On Saturday a large crew (18) came and helped us get the medicinal garden started and the rest of the garden up and running. It was a beautiful day and after they left many residents came out and were able to enjoy the garden because of their work. Some of the work accomplished included: a sandstone pathway, removing large shrubs, general clean-up (trash and pine needles), putting together a composter and two arbors, clean-up of the sun porch, staining a redwood glider and sanding/sealing our 2 raised beds, organizing all the compost neglected over the winter, and gathering some rocks for the new garden to honor our longtime therapy dog “Zane”. It would have taken us weeks to accomplish all they were able to do. If these are Flagstaff’s future leaders we are in good hands. Maybe we should send them to Washington. Many of our gardeners and those who help us would like to think that there is “Grace from the Garden; changing the world one garden at a time”, a book title that is so appropriate to what happens in the gardens at Olivia White Hospice Home.

Loni Shapiro
Volunteer Coordinator
Olivia White Hospice Home Garden

Monday, December 27, 2010

Thank You for 2010

Appeared in the AZ Daily Sun 12/27/10

Thank you to all who volunteered donated and supported the volunteer gardeners at the Olivia White Hospice Home after our recent episode with vandalism. We can’t express how much it meant to us to see the outpouring of support and generosity. We had extra volunteers for the last few weeks of the season to plant our fall bulbs, phone calls, many donations, and people just stopping by to thanks us for what we do. We have always felt appreciated, but this just reinforced how much this garden means to the community in addition to how they feel about Northland Hospice.

As a result of your generosity we were able to replace some broken/lost items, up our security, and had enough left over to complete our drip system in the gardens. Special thanks go to Bobby Goita and the Fishing 4 FUNds donation. We were the recipients of their yearly donation to the Flagstaff community.

Thanks also go to our regular volunteer gardeners (master gardeners & hospice supporters) for a very successful season. Additional thanks to those that supported us throughout the year with their generous donations of materials and time. Warner’s Landscape and Nursery continued with a 7th year of 10% of proceeds day for Northland Hospice. We received many donations from families who received care at the home including a bent wood bench. The Bountiful Alliance foundation awarded us a grant to develop a garden to honor Michael Moore (writer and naturalist). Work on the Native Medicinal Garden began this year and will continue in 2011. Last of all Dave & Terri Hill continued their generous support of the gardens by donating a new stone bench and a chipper for our compost pile. We had our usual group help from Coconino High School Seniors, Upward Bound Students, CREC (Coconino Rural Environmental Core), AmeriCorps, the Grand Canyon Youth, and Northland Prep Honor Society).

We would also like to thank the Daily Sun for publicizing the vandalism. The publicity resulted not only in help for the gardens, but at least for now an end to the vandalism.

“Seeds of discouragement will not grow in a thankful heart.”
Anonymous

Loni Shapiro
and the volunteer gardeners of Olivia White Hospice Home

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Reporting OWHH Volunteer Hours

For the 2015 garden season all volunteers will report hours in the book on the back patio at the garden. If you are there on a scheduled workday the book will be on the table. If you come on a non-workday, maybe to water or complete something you wanted to finish, the keys and sign-in book will be inside the home in the table drawer to the left as you enter.

Please record all hours in the garden, at meetings, and for home activities.

At the end of each month the sign in sheets will be sent to the office so please get your hours in by the end of the month.

Wish List 2015

Wish list book is kept on the table in the lobby of the Olivia White Home. Check the book for further details. Contact one of the gardeners if you want to donate.

General plant related materials not available at Warners (where we have an account from a yearly fundraiser) – up to $250 (cash/gardeners will purchase as needed); includes special fertilizers, perlite, sand, soil, and other repair items. Purchase of unusual plants at other nurseries (Viola’s, NP & Seed & HCG).

Special feed for roses (we have 50) - $250 per season or what you want to donate. Gardeners will purchase.

4 Pruners/clippers - $10-40 (see book for ideas)

A variety of long/short handled, cut and hold, small and large diameter.

Craftsman Handi-cut for irrigation (see book for details)

4 Weeders – variety of long and short handled (see book for ideas)

4 Trowels – variety

Mud Gloves (8 Pair – 1 small-5 med-2 light weight) (see book for details).

Spray nozzles for hoses – prefer short handled with multiple settings.

Birdhouses for trellis (new or used in good condition).

Bat or butterfly house for grounds.

Hulled sunflower seed or chips for bird feeders ($28-85 depending on size).

We only use this type of seed, because of clean-up requirements for millet or black oiled sunflower. We also need niger seed (cost ?) for the goldfinches. This takes more than $500 out of our garden budget.

Replacement wheelbarrows-prefer metal with no-flat wheels. (1 needed)

Welcome to the Gardens at Olivia White Hospice Home

The gardens surrounding the home were created for all who find themselves here. The history below reflects the many hands that have worked in the gardens. The volunteer gardeners have worked to create a quiet, peaceful place to experience alone or with those you love. The garden design enhances the sensory experience. You can hear zipping hummingbirds, water fountains, and the sound of wind chimes. It is a place to stop and smell the roses or the soothing fragrance of lavender. The many vegetables and herbs grown allow residents and staff to taste the gifts of nature. You can feel the gentle embrace of the wind and touch the soft leaves of lamb’s ear or bunny tail grass along with other more prickly plants in a ‘touch pot’. Another design consideration was providing universal access to all visitors and special beds/pots that allow interested residents to participate in gardening. Sitting and standing raised beds, and ‘sensory pots’ accessible to wheelchairs are enjoyed by many residents.
Peace to all who enter…

History
The gardens were started by Norm Erickson, a hospice volunteer, before the home was built in 2001, on the corner of Switzer Canyon and Turquoise where the Olivia White sign is found. Norm also created the gardens directly in front of the home. In 2001 Laura Davis, a master gardener began designing and planning for the gardens that surround the home. Loni Shapiro assumed responsibility for garden coordination and planning in 2007. The first project in 2002 was to lay the cement pathway which was done by NAU’s Construction Management class led by Dave Grider. A flagstone patio was created east of the home by Joanie Abbott of Foxglove Gardening with the help of Heber Trunnel. The first two plantings by the master gardeners included an Inferno Strip on Switzer Canyon led by Terra Crampton, and a Rose Garden led by Hattie Braun with a large donation of roses by Bill Brechan. Coconino County Park and Recreation at Fort Tuthill donated many truckloads of compost, and Bill Eichinger used his bobcat to help edge with rocks the gardens you see today. In 2004 a core of master gardeners and hospice volunteers (Loni Shapiro, Karen Kent, Cynthia Katte, David Hockman and Nancy Palmer) joined Laura and began creating the many gardens here today. Today we have a regular crew of master gardeners and hospice volunteers, with two workdays each week throughout each spring and summer. They are supported by many other church groups, scout troops, AmeriCorp, college - high school - middle school groups, Coconino County Adult Probation Community Service, Upward Bound, and businesses throughout Flagstaff. Warner’s Landscape and Nursery needs to be singled out for their continuing support for the gardens since their inception with yearly fundraisers and discounts on plant and hardscape materials. In 2006 the gazebo designed by Jill Morris was completed with the help of Terry Payne and John Adams, from Christ’s Church, and Loven Contracting. John Adams along with the help of the Sunshine Lion’s Club finished it with a brick pathway. Foxglove Gardening installed the drip system over three years from 2008-10. Most of their time was donated. From 2010-2012 we received grants from the Bountiful Alliance to create a Native Medicinal Garden in honor of Michael Moore, writer and naturalist. The work on that garden continues along Switzer Canyon Drive. The garden was dedicated by a Navajo elder in 2012. A small garden was dedicated in 2011 to our long time therapy dog “Zane” Hill. Plans for 2013 include continued revamping of some front gardens, work on the corner of Turquoise with the installation of the FUTS trail, and landscaping our new shed area.

The gardens continue to evolve each year. Some have already been altered from the original plan, such as the Rose Garden, east front and ½ Circle gardens, and north Switzer Canyon beds. In addition, many other trees, shrubs, plants and hardscape items have been donated. A list of donors is located in the library of the Olivia White Home. The library also includes a binder of all the roses found in our garden (over 40). A map of the garden was completed under the direction of Cynthia Katte and Kathy Pate that includes the location of most of the gardens and the special features. This will be updated in 2013 to include the changes along Turquoise and Switzer Canyon. A copy of the current map is included with this handout and can also be found in the Rose binder.

Donations/Volunteering
A “Wish List” for donations is provided in the home that includes yearly needs as well as special projects. Our main fundraisers to help pay for materials and water are memorial bricks (brochures available in the home), an annual 10% of proceeds day at Warner's Nursery, and a summer Plant & Garden Sale at the home. In addition, we sell note cards made from original paintings of the garden, photo note cards, and earrings made from Job’s Tear seeds grown in the garden. All can be found on the table in the entry of the home. We are always looking for new volunteers to help in the garden. Our weekly garden activities during the year can be found on the Volunteer Blog (owhospicegardenvolunteers.blogspot.com) or by contacting,Sierra Gadsberry, Volunteer Cordinator at sgadsberry@northlandhospice.org.

Revised 11/12