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Mothers Day Plant Sale- Assiniboine park May 10th on Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:55 pm
rosencrentz
super-duper-contributor
Friends love the Conservatory
Mother's Day Plant Sale a highlight of Gardening Weekend
Erin Madden / Volunteers
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BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Some friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory (from left): Barbara Shields, Kaz Sawicz, Susan LaBlanc, Eileen Rosen, Ursula Smythe, and Colleen Zacharias. (BORIS MINKEVICH)
Although it appears spring has finally sprung, planting season is still a couple of weeks off -- unless of course you're a volunteer with the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory.
The busy volunteer group, which raises funds and awareness for the Assiniboine Park institution, has been busy for nearly two months potting and watering plants for its 20th annual Mother's Day Plant Sale on May 10.
"After a good long winter in Winnipeg there's nothing like working in a greenhouse with plants," says Eileen Rosen, a volunteer for the past 16 years and chair of the Mother's Day sale.
"There's snow on the ground and you're in this tropical space, planting up these wonderful little plants, starting them on their journey," adds volunteer Barb Shields, a lawyer by day and avid gardener in her spare time who serves as the vice-president for the Friends group.
"Volunteering is when you give back to the community and it's best when you figure out things you like to do and bring it together -- this doesn't feel like work. I have other volunteer things that I do but this is easily the most fun."
The popular Mother's Day event, which last year attracted 5,000 gardening enthusiasts, is one of the group's biggest annual events and is part of its Gardening Weekend. Starting on Friday, May 8 with an evening reception, the weekend also boasts Gardening Saturday -- a day-long symposium featuring 24 different workshops, a trade show and several demonstrations.
Colleen Zacharias has volunteered for the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory for more than 10 years. Currently serving on the board of directors as the acting president, the Waverly Heights grandmother is also the chair of the Gardening Saturday event, helping to plan all the details. While it was her love of plants and her desire to learn more about all that is green that initially drew her to the volunteer group, she explained there are many more reasons she enjoys volunteering.
"The Conservatory is a 100-year-old institution in the City of Winnipeg and it needs support -- it needs support beyond what the city is able to give to it," said Zacharias.
With the proceeds from Gardening Weekend going directly to the Conservatory, helping to pay for upgrades and the special programming it offers, executive director Helene Fairbanks said that the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory is essential in keeping the facility viable.
"A lot of people have this static image of the Conservatory as just a place where you go once a year and that's enough," said Fairbanks. "We want to make it more vibrant than that so that people are coming here for other reasons other than to see the flowers once a year.
"There are a lot of other interesting things happening here."
If you would like to volunteer at Gardening Weekend or would like to learn more about the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, please contact Fairbanks at 895-4560. More information about the organization and event can also be found by visiting www.friendsconservatory.com.
Mother's Day Plant Sale a highlight of Gardening Weekend
Erin Madden / Volunteers
Enlarge Image
BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Some friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory (from left): Barbara Shields, Kaz Sawicz, Susan LaBlanc, Eileen Rosen, Ursula Smythe, and Colleen Zacharias. (BORIS MINKEVICH)
Although it appears spring has finally sprung, planting season is still a couple of weeks off -- unless of course you're a volunteer with the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory.
The busy volunteer group, which raises funds and awareness for the Assiniboine Park institution, has been busy for nearly two months potting and watering plants for its 20th annual Mother's Day Plant Sale on May 10.
"After a good long winter in Winnipeg there's nothing like working in a greenhouse with plants," says Eileen Rosen, a volunteer for the past 16 years and chair of the Mother's Day sale.
"There's snow on the ground and you're in this tropical space, planting up these wonderful little plants, starting them on their journey," adds volunteer Barb Shields, a lawyer by day and avid gardener in her spare time who serves as the vice-president for the Friends group.
"Volunteering is when you give back to the community and it's best when you figure out things you like to do and bring it together -- this doesn't feel like work. I have other volunteer things that I do but this is easily the most fun."
The popular Mother's Day event, which last year attracted 5,000 gardening enthusiasts, is one of the group's biggest annual events and is part of its Gardening Weekend. Starting on Friday, May 8 with an evening reception, the weekend also boasts Gardening Saturday -- a day-long symposium featuring 24 different workshops, a trade show and several demonstrations.
Colleen Zacharias has volunteered for the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory for more than 10 years. Currently serving on the board of directors as the acting president, the Waverly Heights grandmother is also the chair of the Gardening Saturday event, helping to plan all the details. While it was her love of plants and her desire to learn more about all that is green that initially drew her to the volunteer group, she explained there are many more reasons she enjoys volunteering.
"The Conservatory is a 100-year-old institution in the City of Winnipeg and it needs support -- it needs support beyond what the city is able to give to it," said Zacharias.
With the proceeds from Gardening Weekend going directly to the Conservatory, helping to pay for upgrades and the special programming it offers, executive director Helene Fairbanks said that the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory is essential in keeping the facility viable.
"A lot of people have this static image of the Conservatory as just a place where you go once a year and that's enough," said Fairbanks. "We want to make it more vibrant than that so that people are coming here for other reasons other than to see the flowers once a year.
"There are a lot of other interesting things happening here."
If you would like to volunteer at Gardening Weekend or would like to learn more about the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, please contact Fairbanks at 895-4560. More information about the organization and event can also be found by visiting www.friendsconservatory.com.
