Colorful pinwheels fill our gardens
Earlier this summer, team members at Hope Residence [the disability care community on our campus] filled a raised garden bed with wildflowers. When hosting the annual “Stepping Forward for Dementia” walk, we use this garden bed to “plant” our pinwheel garden.
More than 60 participants joined us for this year’s event which was held on August 5.
As a pre-walk activity, participants selected a pinwheel and wrote the name of a loved one on it. The color of the pinwheel represented their connection or relationship in the following ways.
- Blue: I have Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- Green: I am supporting or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- Pink: I have lost someone to Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- Orange: I support the cause and the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.
This year, the garden bed was so full that we expanded and started to use an additional garden bed.
“It was great to see the participants fill up our garden spaces,” explained Emily Bullert, Therapeutic Recreation Director at The Lutheran Home: Belle Plaine. “I think the activity provided a moment of clarity to really think about why we host this walk. For me, it’s about our residents and how our team can continue to offer them the best care.”
Other pre-walk activities included a storybook stroll where the book “Grandpa and Lucy,” was printed on yard signs to allow participants to walk and read the story. A resource table also allowed participants access to more information about Alzheimer’s care on our campus.
As the route for the walk traveled past each of our care communities, participants had the opportunity to interact with the residents who cheered as walkers passed by. Upon completion of the walk, residents passed out bookmarks to all the participants.
We continue to be grateful for our event sponsors including Behnke Auto Center, Inc., Cornerstone State Bank, First National Bank Minnesota, Kristin Werner Therapy, Milestone Auto Glass, Trinity Lutheran Church, and Riverview Coffee. A special thanks to St. Croix Hospice who donated snacks for the event and an anonymous donor who shared door prizes.