A special group of volunteers skilled in a variety of gardening specialties joined together this summer to form the Haven Hospice Lake City Garden Team. The idea started after a volunteer was visiting with a patient in the outdoor garden area. They wanted to spruce up the areas around the care center and create an environment with birds and flowers.

A special group of volunteers skilled in a variety of gardening specialties joined together this summer to form the Haven Hospice Lake City Garden Team. The idea started after a volunteer was visiting with a patient in the outdoor garden area. They wanted to spruce up the areas around the care center and create an environment with birds and flowers. The Haven Foundation purchased gardening aprons and bags for the group to begin their summer beautification project. Volunteer Coordinator Marie Burdge said, “We worked with our existing team of volunteers to learn about their special skills and what they enjoy doing. We started the team after meeting with someone who was good with butterfly plants, and learning someone else had great knowledge of birds. One of our new pet volunteers is employed by Target’s outdoor and yard department, so she was able to create a partnership there and we received a $250 gift card to purchase beautiful bird feeders, bird baths and colorful outdoor decor.” In addition to the gift card, the Lake City Target team came to Haven’s Suwannee Valley Hospice Care Center on a hot summer day to help the garden team landscape. They planted greenery that would grow lush as well as flowers that would attract butterflies and hummingbirds for patients to enjoy. Thank you to this wonderful group of Haven and Target volunteers for working hard to create an extra special environment for patients and families.