ERVING — A group of volunteers constructed garden planters at the Erving Senior Center for residents to grow vegetables and flowers this spring.
A team from Home Depot in Greenfield donated their time and materials this month to build six cedar garden boxes, where seniors will grow lettuce and tomatoes for their sandwiches and flowers so the seniors can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors with fresh cuttings on their tables.
“What a wonderful way of giving back to the community. We truly appreciate their time and generosity with this fun and exciting garden project,” said Paula Betters, director of the senior center.
The 10 volunteers also built a custom high table to help the seniors tend to their plantings and collect their harvest with ease. As the weather warms up, the seniors will start planting.
“The stereotype of the senior center is that we are all in walkers and wheelchairs and that is just not true,” said Betters, explaining that the senior center community is engaged in many activities.
All the planters are about 30 inches high, about waist-high, so the seniors will be able to stand or sit while they work, said Cynthia Dale, a Home Depot volunteer who is from Erving and lives in Gill. She said that the team was happy to help.
“We had a blast. It is all done. The seniors are thrilled,” said Dale.
The project was spearheaded by Matthew Bess, store manager, and Dale.