Steve Swain, the Indiana AgrAbility rural rehabilitation specialist, spoke at two gardening clinics within the last month, including the Annual Spring Garden Clinic hosted by the Purdue University Extension Capital City Garden Project. The clinic was conducted at a charter school on the near east side of Indianapolis. Attendees at the accessible gardening session included over 45 Master Gardeners, home gardeners, community gardeners, instructors, and teachers. The presentation included accessible features of a garden for people with disabilities or those who are getting older. It also included examples of adapted tools, ergonomic tools, and a case study.
The second presentation was for the Wabash Valley Master Gardener Clinic at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College north of Terre Haute, Indiana. Over 150 attendees, some of whom were Master Gardeners, learned how to have an accessible garden and were shown examples of adaptive and modified tools to make gardening easier for them and those they serve. Master Gardeners are required to volunteer several hours of community service each year to promote their organization and to promote gardening to the public. Some community service hours are spent at nursing homes and assisted living facilities helping residents in the facilities gardens.
Submitted by Steve Swain
Amber Wolfe was the keynote speaker for the Hendricks County Rotary Farmer Appreciation Luncheon in Danville, Indiana on March 8, and was also the featured speaker at the Lafayette Extension Homemakers meeting that same evening. Her presentations were on "Arthritis and Agriculture" and "Gardening with Arthritis," and included exercise and nutrition related to arthritis management.
The Arthritis Foundation-Indiana hosted an educational display at the St. Vincent Healthy Aging Conference in Carmel, Indiana on March 16. Over 400 attendees were at the event, representing several medical fields from all areas of Indiana.
Submitted by Amber Wolfe
Linda Tarr conducted AgrAbility presentations for Indiana Area 7 Agency on Aging, WILL Center for Independent Living, and Vigo County USDA Service Center. She also had a booth at the Switzerland County Health Fair sponsored by the Area 12 Center for Independent Living and gave presentations at the three area Barn meetings held in Lawrence County sponsored by the USDA.
Submitted by Linda Tarr