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Troop cultivates special project in Austintown
By Elise Franco
Austintown
A successful growing season for the “Forget Me Not Garden” at Clare Bridge of Austintown will give residents a sight to see and a treat to taste.
Vanessa Montgomery, life-enrichment coordinator at Clare Bridge, a dementia-care facility on South Canfield-Niles Road, said it’s because of staff volunteers and a local Girl Scout troop, that one tomato garden planted last year has expanded into five gardens complete with flowers, herbs and vegetables that will be used in the facility’s prepared meals.
Diane Rosteck, Girl Scout Troop 673 co-leader, said the girls heard the facility wanted to plant more gardens and decided to lend a hand.
“They volunteered as a way to accomplish their silver project, which is a community service and the highest honor award Cadettes can do,” Rosteck said.
Montgomery said the tomato garden originally was planted in 2009 by Bill Farragher, a resident’s husband.
She said expanding the garden was one way to bring joy to the residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“I try to give each resident a moment of success each day,” she said. “They really look forward to going out and watering and weeding in the garden.”
Rachel Sinclair, 12, of Canfield said tending to the garden was no chore for her troop.
“It’s really just fun for us,” she said. “We get to see [the residents] be happy and live life how they can.”
Rachel said the girls will water and tend to the garden each week from now until September.
“We’re doing it because it’ll make the residents happy,” she said. “If it turns brown and black they’ll see it as another sad thing in their lives instead of a happy thing.”
Kayla Troxil, 12, of Canfield said she had fun planting and can’t wait to see the fruits of their hard work.
“I loved digging holes in the dirt and sticking the flowers in — getting my hands dirty,” she said. “Now I’m looking forward to seeing the beauty of it.”
Montgomery said the garden is called “Forget Me Not” as a tribute to those who live there.
“It gives our residents something to look at,” she said. “It’s something that makes them feel hopeful.”
She said everything grown in the garden — lettuce, peppers, corn, herbs, squash, tomatoes as well as pears and apples — will be harvested and used in the facility’s kitchen.
“Clare Bridge residents will taste the fruits of the garden in their diet this summer and fall while enjoying the beauty of the garden’s flowers,” she said.