|
Our Flower Therapy volunteers have been unable to hold sessions at Mott for more than two years -- a sad loss of a very meaningful volunteer service. In the interim, they are meeting each month to create bouquets for delivery to residents at Safe House, Alpha House, and Ronald McDonald House. In 2022, more than 400 small bright bouquets were crafted by happy hands.
Many, many thanks to our generous flower vendors, and to the owners of the clubhouse space we are borrowing. Kudos to our Flower Therapy members for keeping our tradition growing strong! Flower therapy benefits all
From September through May, twice each month on Wednesday afternoons, a cheery voice comes over the sixth floor PA system at U-M Mott Children’s Hospital: "Good morning boys and girls, the Flower Ladies are here today in the activity room!"
Recognized as the longest-serving volunteer group at Mott, the ‘Flower Ladies’ of Ann Arbor Farm & Garden’s Horticultural Therapy committee have been bringing joy and a healing touch of nature to young Mott patients for decades. When the children arrive in the activity room, they are met with friendly faces and a beautiful assortment of flowers donated by local florists. Delightful scents and profuse color lift their spirits, and for a little while, they can put troubles aside to become flower arrangement artists. After they are finished, the children take their creations to their rooms to enjoy. As a Flower Therapy volunteer, you become a meaningful part of this experience as you guide the children through the creative process. Our volunteers consider it a privilege to be involved, and find great satisfaction in working with the children. All AAF&G members are eligible to volunteer, and no special training is needed – just an enjoyment of flowers and a desire to brighten a child’s day. Horticultural Therapy Although the Woman’s National Farm & Garden Association didn’t invent horticultural therapy, the organization played an important role in its history and development. With the work of Miss Elizabeth Hall in the 1920s, through the pioneering work in the 1950s of Alice Wessels Burlingame, a WNFGA Michigan Division member considered the founder of the modern HT profession, Farm & Garden at all levels has actively supported and encouraged the field of horticultural therapy. In fact, the first committee of the newly formed Ann Arbor Branch in 1946 was a horticultural therapy group; it was that committee that started our ‘Flower Ladies’ tradition of service. Dig deeper into our horticultural therapy history here. People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us. ~Iris Murdoch
|
  AAF&G FLOWER THERAPISTS
Date of First HT Service (C denotes Chair) Verna Parker 1962 initiated HT at Ypsilanti State Hospital Marion Barrett Pam Shultz 1981 re-started HT at Mott Children’s Hospital Jean Lunn 1984 Betsy McGuigan 1987 Kitsy Eaton 1987 Patricia McFadden 1987 C Justine Kulka 1987 Julie Wilson year unknown Dana Kremmor 1988 Karen Berger 1989 Pam Shultz 1989 C Judy Heekin 1989 Mary Kay Gray 1989 Lorna Prescott 1989 C Anna Kelley 1989 C Diane Hoff 1989 C Maureen Pugsley 1992 Patty Dubin 1996 Ann Gregory 1996 Sandy Herbertson 1997 Maye Raglaud 1997 Jo Johnson 1997 Kathleen McGauly 1997 Jean Jacobson 2001 Darrell Jacob 2001 C Janette Ferrantino 2001 Elaine Huber 2002 Stephanie Petersen 2002 Denise Toomasian 2004 C Phyllis Timmer 2005 Emily Ceruolo 2005 Sandy Burbank 2006 Kathy Clark 2007 Jenni Weinch 2007 Sue Klaas 2010 Jan Wery 2010 Kathy Clark 2007 Mia Moyad 2010 Nancy Smith 2010 Nancy Powers 2011 Nancy Asin 2012 Ginger Kinney 2013 Karen Mikus 2015 C |