Colorado Center for the Blind
By Paula Peirce, Colorado Master Gardener
Take one step into the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB) Legacy Garden and we see a vibrant community and collaboration at its best. CSU Master Gardeners and visually impaired students work together to share the joy of gardening, learn life skills and gain insight about each other’s lives. The Legacy Garden at CCB represents a 25-year commitment to the values of both CCB and the Master Gardener Program. Shared values such as:
- Empowering the individual (CCB Mission)
- Education programs to meet local needs (Master Gardener Mission/Vision)
- CCB’s aspiration for blind people to bring value, diversity and leadership to community (CCB Aspirational Statement)
- Cultivate long term support contributing to quality of life (Master Gardener Mission/Vision)
Master Gardener team leads Pat Giarritano, Betsy Dickson, JoAnne Hoffman, Rita McConnell, and Zandy Wennerstrom and CCB staff members Dan Burke and Tiffany Moon have designed the program to meet the students’ needs. Additional Master Gardener volunteers sign up weekly to assist students in the garden. The start of each year begins with a student meeting to decide what to plant and any additions to the program. This year the new “Adopt a Plant” program began. Under that program, pairs of students work together to plant and care for a container garden.
Students are free to enjoy the garden in any way they choose. Many are involved with planting, watering and harvesting, while others enjoy the benches and outdoor experience. Produce from the garden is taken to the CCB kitchen and washed. Students use it to prepare meals for themselves and others as part of their independent living educational curriculum.
For more information about the Colorado Center for the Blind Legacy Garden, see our web site highlighting the program.
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