Green Thumbs, Healthy Joints

2008 Projects

All Green Thumbs, Healthy Joints mini-grant recipients have completed projects and turned in final reports. Each master gardener group has been successful in completing project goals and the results are listed below.

• The Berkeley/Jefferson Master Gardeners put Green Thumbs funding to work at Berkeley Senior Services, Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Master Gardeners built a raised bed planter and purchased ergonomic tools to use in the garden. The Master Gardeners volunteered 82 hours to complete the garden area; 14 seniors participated actively in gardening.
  
  
• The Braxton County Master Gardeners used Green Thumbs funds to construct a raised garden bed at The Senior Gardens of Braxton County, Sutton, West Virginia. Thirty volunteer hours were divided among four volunteers to complete the construction. Six residents at The Senior Gardens were able to use the new garden bed.
  
  
  Senior Gardens of Braxton County
  
  
  
• The Greenbrier Valley Master Gardeners used Green Thumbs funds to promote accessible gardening at the 2008 State Fair of West Virginia, in Fairlea, WV. The Master Gardeners used the money to buy and construct a raised garden bed and planter boxes to use at their demonstration garden at the state fairgrounds. The Greenbrier Valley Master Gardeners demonstrated the use of ergonomic gardening tools in their demonstration raised bed and in addition passed out accessible gardening information to visitors.
  
  
• The Monongalia County Master Gardeners used their Green Thumbs award to construct a raised garden bed at Jack Roberts Park in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Green Thumbs, Healthy Joints program also helped the Monongalia County Master Gardeners leverage $3000.00 in funding to construct a concrete pad and a wheelchair accessible picnic table. The project was completed in October 2008, so spring 2009 will be the first planting season.
  
  
• The Ohio County Master Gardeners have used their Green Thumbs, Healthy Joints award to complete several projects at Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Master Gardeners have put in over 600 volunteer hours to complete the construction of raised gardening beds and complete a wonderful garden for the patients. The Ohio County Master Gardeners have used the Green Thumbs funding to leverage additional funding from an independent donor and a local bank to build a deer fence around the garden. Thirty patients at the hospital used the garden and all patients benefit from fresh vegetables raised in the accessible beds.
  
  
  Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital Ohio County Master Gardeners
  
  
  
• The WVU Potomac County Master Gardeners completed their project at the Grant County Nursing Home. The Master Gardeners used four volunteers to complete 22 hours worth of service. The garden was used by 20 different patients at the Grant County Nursing Home, 17 of whom had joint conditions. The Green Thumbs award provided them with an accessible lighted garden. Although the project began at the close of the planting season, herbs were still harvested in the accessible garden bed for use in the facility’s kitchen. The Master Gardeners also received a donation of $160.00 worth of plants from a local greenhouse to add to their project.
  
  
  Potomac County Master Gardeners at Grant County Nursing Home
  
  
  

For more information, please call 304-293-4692 ext. 1141 or e-mail greenthumbs@hsc.wvu.edu.

Photos were taken by Gene Rothert and are provided courtesy of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) at www.ncpad.org or 800-900-8086.