THE HEALING GARDEN . A Cortland Rotary sustainable project located behind the PTSD unit at The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System (Montrose).
Many men and women will return from overseas with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The members of the Peekskill Rotary and your Cortlandt Rotary thought to do something in their power as a service organization, made up of local volunteers in your community, to help them.
The term “healing gardens” is most often applied to green spaces in hospitals and other healthcare facilities that specifically aim to improve health outcomes. These gardens provide a place of refuge and promote healing in patients, families, and staff, with beautiful settings where patients could begin to heal, both physically and mentally.
One such garden is located behind the PTSD unit at The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System (Montrose).
One such garden is located behind the PTSD unit at The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System (Montrose).
In the spring of 2010, The Peekskill Rotary proposed an interesting new project for our veterans. The newly formed Cortlandt Rotary saw it as a great idea and asked if they could partner in the project. It is not uncommon for Rotary clubs to join together to raise the monies needed to complete community projects.
There once was a garden located behind the PTSD unit at the fore mentioned adress, many decades ago. It was started by Cortlandt Rotary member Herb Winkelmann’s father when he worked at the VA. It had long ago gone to seed after his father retired and no one took over the maintenance of it. With that, a beautiful garden was designed, rebuilt and dedicated in October of 2010 with the help of the two Rotaries.
Cortland Rotary has since then helped maintain the garden as a sustainable project. Ever year they meet with Rosemarie Rogers and Elaine Cottel. They are two hardworking and dedicated women employed by the VA. From day one they advised the Cortlandt Rotary and helped navigate the maze of government regulations.
A “wish list" is comprised by them. In the past, it has always included mulch to help keep the plantings safe and add to the soil. (Any color can be used with the exception of RED which is forbidden on federal grounds).
They have requested blueberry bushes, vegetable plants, additional topsoil, flowering bulbs, bird seed for the feeders and various other items. So it's a wide range of requests but always the mulch. One year the Cortlandt Shop Rite donated the majority of the vegetable plants. They will be maintained and enjoyed by the veterans using the garden.
Also this year, a natural fence surrounds the healing garden. The garden includes an eagle scout built table, several seating areas and the home to a variety of birds in the bird houses.
Cortlandt Rotary is proud to help the men and women of our armed services, who have dedicated their lives defending our freedoms. They have also refurbished a WWII monument in Annsville.
Directions:
Route 9a to the main entrance. Pass Guard Shack continue on the main drive. Make second right turn going under the brick walkway. Go to the second left and turn again going under another brick walkway onto the field and garden should be on your right.