The June Hawk-Franklin Garden of Meditation and Healing at the Cancer Resource Centre in Munster recently welcomed hundreds of visitors to Inspirations from the Garden.
Lectures, hands-on introductions to programs and a silent auction of 49 colorful window boxes were on the day’s agenda.
“We offer this fundraiser every two years,” said Mary Shields, Community Cancer Research Foundation administrator, as she perused the colorful, one-of-a-kind window boxes up for bids that were placed throughout the garden. “It gives us a chance to showcase our healing garden and highlight the programs the Cancer Resource Centre offers.”
Among the first visitors were cousins Diane Beason of Munster and Shon McCoy of Elmwood Park, Ill.
“I was excited that Diane invited me. This gives us a chance to spend quality time together,” McCoy said, as the two checked out a box that contained herbs and colorful ribbons. “This is my first time in this garden – it is very calming, beautiful and serene.”
Marilyn Winkler is familiar with the Centre and what they offer, as she has attended many programs and visited the garden located alongside the main building. She invited her friend Mary Hamilton of Griffith to attend the recent fundraiser.
“It is definitely very beautiful here,” Hamilton said of the garden, as the pair snapped pictures of the various flowers and surrounding greenery. “And the window boxes are adding to that beauty, they are all very creative.”
Speakers of the day discussed Chi Gong, information about the lives and purposes of bees, Healing Benefits of Hypnosis & Meditation, and Therapeutic Benefits of Container Gardening.
The latter, presented by Rob and Heidi Szrom, are the architects that designed the June Hawk-Franklin Garden of Meditation and Healing, which was built in 2008.
“We are not (mental health) therapists, but any type of garden has real benefits health-wise,” Rob Szrom said. “Container gardening does it moreso.”
He went on to explain the positives of planters, pots, boxes or other items used for small areas of greenery.
Heidi Szrom added that opportunities abound as to the type of materials that can be used in and for the containers. “You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. You can be creative,” she said. “No matter what you put into it, you’ll have a work of art.”
Proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction benefitted the Cancer Resource Centre.
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Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for trhe Post-Tribune.
Cancer Resource Centre
The Cancer Resource Centre was established by the Community Cancer Research Foundation to provide valuable support resources and ongoing programs to cancer patients and their families.
For more information, call 219-836-3349 or visit CancerResourceCentre.com