The SOG Story

In March 2022 we had to say a sad goodbye to our Garden Manager, Chelsea Dozois. Before she left, Chelsea organized and led a SOG Book Club, a session on nutrition with Elycia Thompson, and a second on-line symposium. We were still under restrictions so our Book Club was virtual. Chelsea chose the books Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and To Speak for the Trees by Diana Beresford-Kroeger. We had excellent discussions led by Chelsea who made sure the participants each had a copy of the book. Funds from the New Horizons grant funded the purchase of the books. The highlight of the symposium was a talk by Diana Beresford-Kroeger. We also had sessions on vermicomposting with the founders of The Box for Life, native wildflowers, soil amelioration, and herbs.

We warmly welcomed Rita Moore as our Garden Helper and are grateful for her willingness to dig right in.

We established a connection with the indigenous seniors at Madawan Lodge on Carmen Avenue through the Gignal Non-profit Housing Corporation.

Thanks to the organic seedling order completed by Chelsea, Rita and Betty were able to pick up hundreds of seedlings from Northern Seeds in Farrellton, Quebec. Seedlings were donated to the seniors at Clementine Avenue, Madawan Lodge, the Bronson Centre, The Olde Forge, Ottawa Community housing residents downtown, and to seniors in their homes. Our Garden Coach led numerous Zoom sessions and submitted articles to Down to Earth.

We secured the services of Ivan Plotnikov to design our new logo and build our website.

The SOG program during the non-growing season consisted of horticultural therapy activities to stay in contact with the seniors in our various groups.

Unfortunately, in February-March, the COVID-19 pandemic began, forcing the cancellation of in-person programming.  SOG pivoted quickly to continue to offer programming. Virtual Zoom-based workshops were set up with Gloucester 50+, the Bronson Hub, SNMC, Brain Health Group and SNMC.  To support gardeners at OCH buildings who were not able to participate virtually, the SOG Manager got a local Scouts group (104th Ottawa) to volunteer to grow seedlings for participants in the scouts’ homes.  12 scouting families volunteered and produced over 700 seedlings.  Remaining funds from OCF and the Seniors’ Community Grant were put to use to provide seeds, soil, pots, and grow lamps.  Some of these supplies were delivered to seniors who were stuck at home as well, allowing over 100 seniors to grow their own seedlings or receive seedlings once they were grown.  At 395 Somerset Ave, twenty-six very isolated seniors received large pots, soil, fertilizer and seedlings to grow peppers and tomatoes on their balconies.  Seniors’ Group Jami Omar participants (25) received seedlings, Grow Containers from the Growing Connection, soil, fertilizer and seeds.  Other seniors received individual supplies as they requested.

Online workshops included seed starting, taking and rooting cuttings, growing vegetables from kitchen scraps, compost, weed identification, potato buckets, repotting and more.  As well, the SOG manager produced a number of you tube videos on garden topics which were shared with seniors and others.

In June 2020, our Gardening Coach, Christine moved on, but hired two Garden coaches to fill the position: Chelsea and Brigitte in order to manage the 2020 growing season program. The groups involved are listed below.

Model 1:  Community Groups

Russell Manor-1909 Russell Rd, OCH, 1455 Clementine Blvd, OCH Building, 300 Lacasse, Ottawa Community Housing

Gloucester 50+ Centre,  Bronson Community Centre- Dalhousie Courtyard Community Gardens, Ottawa Community Immigration Services Organization- Diverse Seniors Group/Jewish Family Services, OCH Building, 205 Gladstone- Blair House, OCH Building, 125 McLeod – Brooke Towers, OCH Building, 395 Somerset, Nepean Rideau Osgoode Community Resource Centre (NROCRC) Tanglewood Seniors’ Group, Brain Health Seniors’ Group (NROCRC),  South Nepean Muslim Centre (SNMC, Barrhaven, Seniors’ Group Jami Omar Mosque, West Ottawa Christian Community Church Gardens.

These groups were scheduled for a full SOG program but due to the pandemic, none of the Ottawa Community Housing groups were allowed to meet and most did not have internet connection for ZOOM workshops.

Model 2: Residential Backyard Gardeners

Grouped for meetings, shared presentations:    East Orleans and Celebration Ave Garden- Friends

The pandemic in 2019-2021 presented SOG with a number of challenges not unlike many community groups. Seniors had the added challenges of learning not only to use technology for communication but also the challenge of comfort level and overcoming fear of dangers of technology! Many overcame these concerns but several diminished their involvement due to fear of technology. ZOOM fatigue also loomed high on the horizon so phone calls and deliveries which are labor-intensive provided some relief. The addition of Surprise Garden Bags delivered to seniors’ homes in Model 2 were the most popular aspects of the program and brought a few more seniors back online to participate in a new way. Seniors in their homes who have no devices and no access to the internet are cut off from communications in a special way. One could say it is self-inflicted but sometimes the challenge is financial… the cost of devices, internet connection, technical assistance costs and service when things go wrong and the fear of having any tech experts in home to assist are all obstacles to be considered.

Gardening Groups also suffered a number of challenges. OCH buildings were not allowed to have active gardens due to the possibility of COVID spread. Some ZOOM events attracted a goodly number of participants however other seniors simply went into hibernation from technology!

In February 2018, under the Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant (OTF, received in 2017-2018), when Christine Matheson came on board as SOG Manager & Gardening Coach a Program Coordinator was also hired to ease the burden of administrative requirements. The SOG team contacted SOG sites from 2017 and began preparing for the growing season. SOG has a policy of usually working with groups for a three-year cycle: In year One we support all aspects of the gardening season and give supplies generously, in year Two, we reduce the gardening support and donated supplies to some extent and in year Three, we prepare gardening groups to garden autonomously. From year One, we organize Garden Committees to train participants to manage their own decisions around the gardens.

Ultimately, the SOG sites for 2018 were:

• 3020 Woodroffe Ave, South Nepean Muslim Centre – community gardens (6 gardeners, 2nd year)
• 1909 Russell Rd, Russell Manor – OCH community garden (20 gardeners, 1st year)
• 1445 Clementine Ave, Clementine towers – OCH community garden (24 gardeners, 2nd year)
• 800 St. Laurent – OCH community garden (22 gardeners, 4th and final year)
• 300 Lacasse – OCH community garden – no gardening this year, 6 gardeners participated in workshops, 2nd year
• 3123 Carp Rd., West Ottawa Community Church- raised beds built for senior gardeners, workshops given. This group enjoyed SOG’s leadership in 2018 but were well able to garden independently of SOG which is our objective for all gardening groups.
• 959 Wellington St. W, OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services) – no garden, indoor workshops 15 gardeners (2nd year)
• 55 Clary St. Seniors’ Group (Through OCISO) – no garden, indoor workshops 15 gardeners (1st year)
• Barrhaven Indo-Canadian Seniors group (through OCISO) – no garden, indoor workshops, 50 + participants
• Wabano Aboriginal Wellness Centre Seniors Circle – 15 + gardeners (3rd and Final Year)

Over 150 participants were recorded for SOG in 2018. Each site received 3-6 workshops given in person by the Program Manager, supported by the Program Coordinator. A new garden site was built at the West Ottawa Christian Community on Carp Road. A final report was prepared for OTF and submitted upon the end date of the grant in October 2018.

This year we reached out to 3 multicultural OCH residences, 2 Indigenous centres and Hope Living (Shepherds of Good Hope). We were very happy to have the participation of the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and Odawa Friendship Centre which added a new exciting dimension. We also continued our program in the Outaouais, with volunteer visits at le Manoir de Wakefield.

The multicultural OCH seniors’ residences that were on board for 2016 were: Wellington Towers, Russell Manor, and 800 St. Laurent.The Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO) contributed to our success throughout the year. We held a Recognition Event for CFO in September, celebrating our growing season with a beautiful drumming performance by the Wabano seniors.

In 2014, we worked in 9 locations, with Adèle McKay joining SOG as horticultural specialist and program manager: This year we added Regina Towers, Russell Manor and 800 St Laurent in the east end as well as Good Companions. We expanded to the non-growing season with horticultural therapy activities to draw the seniors together. We offer a series of photographs as we know that pictures can be worth a thousand words!

Photos:
Adele and Sue enjoying the aroma of herbs at Longfield Manor in Barrhaven
Planting at the Perley & Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre
Tending the gardens at Russell Manor
Wanda and Guy and their team look after the gardens at Regina Towers assisted by local mascot in front photo!
Planting at Wellington Towers

Our 2012 Pilot Project involving one Retirement Home, Unitarian House in Westboro and one Long Term Care facility, Longfield Manor in Barrhaven was very successful and we learned many excellent lessons on how to move forward. We thank both Unitarian House and Longfield Manor seniors and staff for such a wonderful experience.