Accessible Lilac Festival ~ Mid-Bloom ~ 26 Plants

Eileen Dougherty from Gloucester Enjoys the Accessible Lilacs
Eileen Dougherty from Gloucester Enjoys the Accessible Lilacs
On Saturday, May 20th, Eileen visited our Memory Café with two professional aides, Judy and Giulia, from her home in Gloucester, MA. Together with volunteer Bruce Piper, we accessed the seven wheelchair-accessible lilac plants on the Joe Mac Lilac Line, part of the MargFMac Front Garden Loop (0.1 mile).
Bruce Piper, Giulia & Eileen at the Joe Mac Lilac Line
Bruce Piper, Giulia & Eileen at the Joe Mac Lilac Line

Bruce shares a Columbine Flower with Eileen
Bruce shares a Columbine Flower with Eileen

Eileen hides the Columbine Flower in her pocket.
Eileen hides the Columbine Flower in her pocket

At the Koi Pond, I offered Eileen a choice between two colorful fish puppets. She reached for both, grasped them both, and with our four hands and arms, we dance-swam with the fish. During this therapeutic activity Eileen held engaged eye-contact and smiles with me, as we together swam-dance the fish puppets through the air with our upper bodies ~ arms and hands. She also shared parts of her personal story. After our dance-swim, one of the aides handed her a donut with pink frosting (the same color as one of the puppets), which she really enjoyed.
Eileen enjoys a donut; Mary hangs with Fish Puppets at the Koi Pond
Eileen enjoys a donut; Mary with Fish Puppets at the Koi Pond

Before leaving, Eileen, Giulia and Jane signed the guestbook.
We welcome individuals, couples, families, and small groups at our Memory Café. Next Memory Café (for people with memory loss and care-partners) is June 3, 10am – 12pm.
Strawberry Festival is June 10, 10am – 4pm, in Topsfield Center.
Next Sunday Stroll (for wheelchair-users and care-partners) is Father’s Day, June 18, 11am – 2pm.
We are now in the middle of our Accessible Lilac Festival. We’ve planted twenty-six plants. If you’d like to see and smell the lilacs, please contact me for a private tour.
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary

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