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By HOLLY HAYES / Mercury
News
along
with lettuce, broccoli, chives and cauliflower, students working
at the Heritage Garden in Palo Alto will reap something less tangible
but every bit as good for them this spring. It's called confidence.
The self-esteem boost is thanks to this innovative outdoor classroom,
a nurturing place where developmentally disabled clients of the
Community Association for Rehabilitation are growing fruits, vegetables,
herbs and flowers.
Working in the all-organic garden is just a piece of what CAR calls
its LEARN program, which stands for Learning Experiences for Adults
with Real Needs. The goal is to help adults with mental and/or physical
impairments become comfortable interacting in the larger community.
They go shopping, use public transportation, eat out at restaurants.
Over the summer, they also learned a little about philanthropy
by sharing some of their harvest with the people who receive free
meals at St. Anthony's Kitchen.
"The concept of doing something for people who don't have enough
food to eat was very exciting for the group,'' says Suzanne Redell,
who volunteers with fellow horticulturist Dina Gibbs at least once
a week to dig in the dirt with about a dozen students of varying
ability levels.
On a recent workday, Gibbs helped Benjamin Jacrama plant a six-pack
of broccoli seedlings.
"Get your hands in there!'' she cajoles, as she scatters a little
organic fertilizer over the soil and urges Benjamin to work it in.
When the sixth seedling is nestled into its spot -- the last in a
nice, straight row -- Gibbs and Benjamin share a muddy high-five.
At the end of the bed, Redell is encouraging Christina Knestric,
Helen Hsu and Alex Miller in a team effort to get several varieties
of salad greens in the ground. Shouts of "good job!'' and "nice
going!'' make everyone feel appreciated and encouraged. What they
may lack in gardening finesse, they make up for with enthusiasm.
"More and more, this is becoming a community garden,'' says Redell,
who notes that neighbors frequently visit. Just two and a half years
ago, the space was an unsightly side yard of bare dirt and gravel.
A total community effort has transformed it. Members of the Junior
League of Palo Alto Mid-Peninsula built raised, wheelchair-accessible
planter beds, rolled out sod, planted trees and laid out pathways.
More recently, volunteers have added bricks that honor donors, and
Ryan Louie, a student at Los Altos High School, built several attractive
benches as an Eagle Scout project.
A little more support from the community would help this garden
really grow.
Materials for an irrigation system ($1,000),
additional access paths ($500),
a small tiller ($200)
and gift cards for tools and plants ($25
each) top the list. Each donation
of $50 would help CAR continue helping these adults have experiences
in the community through its LEARN program.
For
more information on LEARN,
go to www.c-a-r.org.
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Horticulture
Therapist and Volunteer Dina Gibbs (above left) gives Ben Jacrama,
an encouraging high-five. Below, LEARN program instructor Dan Babcock and volunteer Suzanne Redell help Shari Tobias
(center) garden. 
