The Birches celebrates Earth Day at community garden groundbreaking
On April 22, residents and associates from The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills celebrated Earth Day by participating in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Richmond Education Gardens and Apiary.
The groundbreaking took place at a small plot of unused land located on the border of Westmont and Clarendon Hills, which will eventually become a community education garden with a hobbyist apiary, a rain garden, a bioswale, a wall garden, a butterfly garden, native vegetables, native wildflowers and an outdoor classroom.
Birches residents kicked off the event at 10 a.m. by reading garden-themed books to young children who attended. They sat on tree stump seats in the garden's "Council Ring"-an area for people to congregate that includes a circular seating arrangement and a fire pit.
"We enjoy getting out and reading to kids," said Birches resident Bob Kleinfelder. "They'll read a part to us, and then we'll read a part to them, so it's a give and take. We get to share a good story and have some fun. What more can you ask for on a beautiful spring morning?"
The event also included a short speech from the mayor of Westmont Ron Gunter, Clarendon Hills Trustee Paul Flood and Clarendon Hills Community Development Director Dan Ungerleider. Gunter and Flood worked together to break ground on the garden, and community member Mary Brown planted the first seeds.
The garden is a collaboration between the Village of Westmont and the Village of Clarendon Hills, and its goal is to provide community members with an outdoor education space where they can learn about natural and organic gardening, environmental issues and sustainable development.
The Birches has its own interest in these areas, which is why over the past several years, the assisted living community has started keeping bees, acquired three chickens and created a rain garden.
In addition, when plans for the Richmond Education Gardens and Apiary were first underway, The Birches raffled off honey from its own beehives and donated the proceeds to the Clarendon Hills Park Foundation, one of the groups that's spearheading the garden.
"We're always looking for ways to be more sustainable. That's why we have our bees, chickens, recycling program and our own gardens," said Birches Executive Director Jackie Sander. "But we also want to contribute to sustainability efforts in the larger community, and lending our support to the Richmond Education Gardens project is really the perfect way to do that. We're looking forward to having this wonderful resource so close by."
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. offers professional services to support the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual growth of the older adults who make it their home. The Birches offers purposeful programming and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.