Have you always wanted to cultivate your green thumb? If so then here is your chance to join a tight community of Earthwise volunteers who are assisting seniors to continue gardening at home.
Gardeners the world over know that getting outside and into the soil brightens the mood and eases stress. Research shows that friendly soil bacteria can even act as an antidepressant. "Garden Buddies" is a program specifically for seniors and it uses gardening to improve well-being and social connectedness.
You can be a Garden Buddy and can help Earthwise Society in distilling the healing power of nature into programs that allow seniors living at home to continue to garden for health and enjoyment. The Garden Buddies program helps seniors who would like to keep gardening, but who need some help, by pairing them with an Earthwise volunteer. Together, the seniors and the volunteers work on gardening projects and enjoy each other's company.
Earthwise will train interested volunteers in the necessary skills through several free workshops and gardening sessions held at the beautiful Earthwise Garden. Volunteers may also enjoy opportunities to share knowledge and experience with another generation of gardeners.
"Through this program, volunteers can contribute to their communities by helping seniors continue to live at home and stay independent," said Corinne Côté, Earthwise Society's program coordinator. "For the seniors, it is a great opportunity to meet new people in their neighbourhood, to stay active and to continue to enjoy gardening."
If you or someone you know wants to get involved as a Garden Buddy, contact Côté at [email protected] or call 604-946-9828.
