Members of the Georgetown Senior Center were so proud of their accomplishments this month.
The group successfully set up a 30-foot-wide garden of green onions, collard greens, speckled beans and turnip greens.
Those that were physically unable to help in the garden gave their moral support and enjoyed watching the group as they planted, raked and put down the soil.
Two and a half years coming to the Senior Center has been fun for 79 year old Elizabeth Cuttino.
But learning how to garden has been a new challenge for her.
“I never did a garden says Cuttino, but I helped set up the garden and watered it. It was fun. My deceased husband always did the gardening. I just cleaned what was taken from the garden, cooked them and ate them.”
Sixty-three-year-old Mary James grew up on a farm in Marion, South Carolina.
“I used to plant watermelons and cucumbers. I had so much fun helping in this garden. Everybody was so nice and we all got along said Mary.”
It was like riding a bike, she did not forget what she had learned on her family farm as a kid and was able to share her ideas and skills with the others.
Gardening has become a very poplar leisure activity for those 65 and older.
Many seniors find it a good way to keep their minds busy while benefiting from hours of vigorous activity.
Site Manager of the center Betty Shubrick says the gardening is therapy for them.
"The garden had two benefits. One is physical education and it also helped them monetary. They were able to take home a lot of the vegetables and this saved them money."
The ideal to start a garden came after the seniors heard Tim Chapman from the Georgetown Recycle Center speak to them about recycling compost.
The soil that they used for the garden was donated by the recycling center.
The lumber that was used to section off the garden was donated by Dawson Lumber.
It took three days to set up the garden.
The senior center has 41 active seniors that attend the center.
The project was a success and they will continue to manage the garden and later add other additions to it.
: 11/21/2009
What a terrific idea for seniors. Thanks to all the sponsors and donors. Keep up the ingenuity.