Healing Garden needs community's help

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SANDPOINT — It's time for the Healing Garden to be put together for the winter.

However, for that to happen, Bonner General Health needs some help.

"First of all, I want people to know the garden is here and that it exists as a resource," Jocelyn Catterson, BGH volunteer coordinator, said. "But for them to know that it also is completely run by volunteers, and that we need more. Because it's incredible."

The once-large volunteer crew has either gotten older or has pulled back due to the pandemic. And the volunteer organizer — already putting in more than 40 hours a week — and a pair of occasional volunteers aren't able to keep up with the chores that need to be done before winter hits.

"The fact that there are such dedicated volunteers that have been doing this for years, but now can no longer necessarily work in this space," said Catterson. "We definitely need almost like a new generation of volunteers here in the Sandpoint community to step up and take care of this place."

With only a few volunteers, it is critical for the garden's health that folks turn out to help put it to bed for the winter, she said.

"Normally the garden is split up into different zones and there would be different organizations or people that adopt different zones of the garden to help," Catterson said. "And they would take care of that zone all year round. But [the volunteer crew] doesn't have that this year, they don't have the support that they normally do. I mean, it's very critical."

Much of the work that needs to be done isn't complicated — there's just a lot of it, Catterson said. There is a lot of leaf litter that needs to be cleared off the walkways and moved into composting areas and bags of soil and compost need to be placed where needed to ensure everything is ready for the winter.

"We want to make sure that those plants will be warm enough and ready to make it through the cold Idaho winters," she said.

Catterson said she hopes the community will turn out — not only to help tackle the fall chores, but also to be a part of what is a special community space.

"We're really trying to just amp up volunteer interest in the garden and in general because it really is a community space that people love and use," Catterson said. "It would be great to see the community really show up to help take care of it, to put it to bed this winter, but also to help out come in in the spring would be pretty incredible."

With the garden tucked away along Sand Creek by the hospital, many people often don't realize that the Healing Garden exists. From meandering pathways to hidden alcoves, from a children's garden with fun and quirky sculptures designed to ignite the imagination, the Healing Garden offers peace and tranquility, and a spot to heal the mind and soul.

"I know that there are a lot of community members that come here all the time, because it's a gorgeous public space," said Catterson. "But definitely, we're wanting to get the word out so that people can know about it, come and see it and use it. Know how amazing it is to have a resource [like this] here in Sandpoint."

Catterson said the fall work days are a great way to learn about gardening and a great time to help since many of the chores are fairly simple and don't require a lot of gardening knowledge.

To get the garden ready for winter, work days are planned for every Saturday in October, beginning today. Volunteers can show up any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and work for as little or as long as they are able. There will be free coffee, tea and pastries for the volunteers, Catterson said.

Volunteers should bring garden gloves, rakes, tarp and other gardening equipment ready to tackle the chores that need to be done prior to the start of winter.