David Healy and Renee Bayes

l. to r. RSGC Members Susan Scotti, Anne Collins, Renee Bayes, Ann Marie Fay and Felicia Schwenk

National Garden Clubs, Inc. a National Award of Merit to Rock Spring Garden Club in recognition of their work with preschool children with special needs, at Glebe Elementary School here in Arlington, VA.  Renee Bayes, Commitee Chair 2013/14, received the award from David Healy, former National Capital Area Garden Club President at the NCAGC Fall meeting on October 7, 2015.   Here’s what Ms. Bayes said about this wonderful award.

“Thanks to everyone who “liked” or sent congrats yesterday on my award. The Garden Therapy program has been sponsored by my garden club, Rock Spring Garden Club, in Arlington, VA for 50 plus years. Garden Therapy has been a Partner in Education with Arlington Public schools longer than any organization in Arlington County. Throughout all those years, our GT program has mentored many students with various special needs. In the last few years, our program has been located at Glebe Elementary and we have had the privilege to work with classrooms of 3, 4, 5 year old pre-schoolers with special needs. We hope that we, as a committee, have enriched their lives as much as their smiles and hugs have touched each of us. They call us “the garden ladies”. We have helped them deposit worms in their school garden, make pumpkin floral arrangements, feed the schoolyard birds with their pine cone feeders, design beautiful “thank you” floral arrangements for their school staff, choose good fruits and vegetables and listen to their heartbeats with Nurse Renee’s stethoscope and so many other monthly programs, too numerous to mention. I am honored to be the receipient of this award but the real honor is to spend time with these precious children.”

For more information on our Garden/Horticulture Therapy Program, Click “Activities” button above for a drop down box for Horticulture Therapy.