Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A multi-year effort culminated last year with the completion of a Healing Garden at Crescent Park. Volunteers are now needed to help maintain it moving forward.

When the Healing Garden at Crescent Park was dedicated last year, the garden was described in some powerful ways.

Beautiful.

Little piece of paradise.

Peaceful.

Little Garden of Eden.

As the Garden approaches its first anniversary, though, the day-to-day maintenance that is required to keep a garden looking nice is presenting some challenges.

And the garden’s caretakers are looking to the community for help.

Josie Gerardi, chair of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Landscape Commission, said she received the same feedback on the garden several times last year – “It was beautiful, but the weeds.”

“We have so much going on in the city,” Gerardi said. “DPW (Department of Publics Works) crews can’t be over there enough to weed and maintain the gardens. We’re looking to the community for help.

“It takes a village,” she added. “I’m looking for the village to come through.”

The ask?

Groups of volunteers that will commit to helping maintain the garden. The idea would be to schedule the various groups to help with the day-to-day maintenance once every few weeks.

She’s looking to clubs, businesses, friends, church groups and scout groups as possible sources of help.

A few groups have already agreed to get involved.

The Zonta Club “had no questions about it,” Gerardi said. “(They were) absolutely ready and helpful.”

The stylists at Bella Capelli have also said they’d help and a group of Karen Bonnell’s friends are also interested.

Bonnell, a teenager who died of cancer in 1982, had a field named after her at Crescent Park. It’s now where the healing garden is located.

“That’s real appropriate,” Gerardi said. “That’s a neat thing to have that group of friends supporting the Bonnell family.”

Volunteers will be asked to both weed and “deadhead” – remove spent blossoms with a pair of pruners – as well as report any issues or problems back to Gerardi or the city’s DPW staff.

She also talked a little bit about the purpose behind healing gardens.

“(They are) usually attached to hospitals and healing centers,” Gerardi said, a “place for people to go and enjoy some quiet time. We have the continuous flow fountain which is nice to hear that motion of water (which is) also very relaxing.

The city is supportive of the idea of volunteers contributing in this way.

“She has a great idea,” DPW Superintendent Joe Reinke said. “We will never turn down someone that wants to help in the gardens.”

Gerardi is the contact person for this initiative and said anyone interested in getting involved with the effort should call her at (814) 723-5578.