(above, l-r) Heidi Glass (Social Worker at Jardine); Club members: Lena Peitsinovski, Mary Lou Nolas, Mary Fran Annese, Jane Christiani, Cathy Becker, Gail Anderson, students and faculty.
Rake and Hoe Garden Club Visit Jardine Academy
As part of its commitment to community service, members of the Rake and Hoe Garden Club of Westfield visited Jardine Academy to decorate the Spring Tree with numerous frog ornaments designed by club member Mary Lou Nolas and made by fellow club members. The ornaments were inspired by “The Frightened Frog, an Environmental Tale,” by Brenda Moore and Jean Ohlmann. The book was illustrated by Emily Lackey and produced for National Garden Clubs Inc. The book describes the challenges of being a frog and includes fun facts about frogs as well as ways children can help protect, preserve, and support frog and amphibian habitats in their own backyards.
Mary Lou read the book to the students and a copy of the book was donated to the school’s library. The Spring Tree stands in the lobby of the school and is enjoyed by all who pass by. The area around the tree was also decorated with the frog ornaments and bird houses donated by club members Richard and Jeanette Pelikan.
The Jardine Academy, operated by the Cerebral Palsy League and approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, provides a comprehensive educational program designed to meet the cognitive and physical needs of children and young adults, 3-21 with multiple disabilities.
The Rake and Hoe Garden Club is affiliated with the Garden Club of New Jersey and the National Garden Club, Inc. The club meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 12:00 p.m. at the Scotch Hills Country Club. Membership is open to residents of Westfield and surrounding towns. For more information, call Jeanne Marie Ryan 908-654-0271 or visit the club’s website, rakeandhoe.org, or Facebook page.
Submitted by Betty Round
