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Roscoe Garden Club brightens days for residents at North Pointe Terrace with special deliveries
COURTESY PHOTO The Herald
Roscoe Gardening Club member Rebecca Beneditz and her daughters, six-year-old Audry and four-year-old Lucy experienced bringing joy to residents at North Pointe Terrace with the delivery of a “Bodacious Bouquet.”
The Roscoe Gardening Club has been spreading joy to the residents of North Pointe Terrace Assisted Living in Roscoe, through loving hands by creating and delivering Bodacious Bouquets. Plans are to keep up this cheerful action throughout the month of July.
Each week six club members have taken the opportunity to highlight what is beautiful and flourishing in their garden.
The first dose of colorful happiness came to North Pointe the morning of Monday, July 8, with a second delivery on the following Monday, July 15.
RGC member Sheri Henson helped with making deliveries. “Every one of the people receiving these bouquets loved them and were so surprised to be getting one, they just oohed and awed!
Henson expressed looking forward to going back to give to those who didn’t receive one on the first day. The gentlemen who received the patriotic themed ones couldn’t wait to show us his military pictures.”
RGC Marketing Director, Lisa Brown reflects on reactions to these surprise deliveries.
“It was so nice to see the residents’ faces light up when we presented our bouquets and from those receiving them. Flowers are simply synonymous with joy,” adds” Our club is all about spreading our love of gardening with others.”
Member Renee Klinefelter said, “This was such a fun opportunity, and so obviously appreciated by the residents. Their reactions were absolutely precious and it was so nice to have the chance to talk with them. I really hope it brightened their day, because it sure brightened mine.”
Member Rebecca Beneditz brought her children with her. Her six-year-old daughter Audrey said that she was excited to do this again in the next week because she liked making people happy.
Beneditz shares, “On our way home from the first delivery she was discussing in the back seat of the car with her sister, four-year-old Lucy, which part was better, sharing flowers or getting a piece of chocolate. Lucy stuck with the chocolate, but Audrey said that sharing the flowers was better.”
Megan Shuller who is a Personal Care Aide at North Pointe said, “They all loved them and were so happy to receive them. The people who live there all love things like that to liven up their places, and we appreciated them as well. The residents talked about it afterwards. The children that came and helped on both rounds were so happy as well.”
“July is such a beautiful time of year, when everything is in full bloom and gardens are at their most glorious,” states Roscoe Gardening Club President Renee Mealey. “By gathering and delivering
these bouquets, we give our members a chance to share their passion by giving to others who no longer may be able to garden.”
Local veterans were saluted with “Bodacious Bouquets” at the Roscoe VFW post on July 23.
Since it is a part of the Roscoe Gardening Club’s mission to provide engaging programs for our club members, our Board of Directors are always looking for ways to connect with our local community,” Mealey said.
Bringing “Bodacious Bouquets” to the residents of North Pointe Terrace gave us a unique opportunity to recognize our elders with a joyous and beautiful gift. The event not only benefited the individual residents of North Pointe Terrace but also created a sense of delight among our club membership.
“Community outreach is an important part of our mission, and we are always looking for as much member participation as possible,” added Mealey.
The Roscoe Gardening Club, started in January 2024, is free to anyone wishing to join.
Sponsorship and donations enable the group to host monthly meetings with speakers on a variety of gardening related topics including wildlife, civic beautification and development and improving our environment. At each meeting an opportunity is found to take part in a seed swap, magazine swap, a plant swap or to choose items from an “Abundance” table.
The group holds their monthly meetings at the Roscoe Township Community Center located at 4562 Hononegah Road, Roscoe, Ill.
On Aug. 17 at 10 a.m., all are invited to learn about “The Art of Butterfly Gardening.” This presentation will be given by Lyndi Toohill, the Nicholas Conservatory resident “Butterfly Lady.”
A calendar of events can be found on the group’s Facebook page, Roscoe Gardening Club. Friends are encouraged to join by signing up via Facebook.
In addition to this special presentation the club is hosting a bake sale during the August meeting.
Since the club’s inception they have hosted a garden walk featuring five gardens. Members were welcomed at a private docent-led tour of Anderson Japanese Gardens.
“Rocky, The Rock Snake” is in a competition with “Roscoe the Rock Snake,” (at the Roscoe Township Center). This allows local residents to add a painted rock to the snake, with the goal of seeing how long it can grow.
It is designed to be a fun, entertaining project, where community members can work together with a common objective and hopefully create a sense of camaraderie on a local level. It is requested that no matter where the snake is placed that they remain intact. Tons of creativity continues to expand this project, which became very popular in a short time.
Roscoe Gardening Club is continuing the good work of spreading joy and beauty through sharing information and by giving from the heart the “Bodacious Bouquets!”
