Planet Youth presents a special gift to the Woodstock Community Rose Garden
By Monica Inman-Riley
The Woodstock Community Rose Garden (WCRG) recently received a beautifully hand-painted picnic table from Planet Youth Woodstock.
It was a project created as part of the Dooryard Arts Festival 2024.
On the festival’s last day, local youth personally decorated this colourful piece of handprints after dipping their hands into fresh paint. Each print is autographed.
Emily Shapiro, co-director of Planet Youth, one of the groups hosting children’s events at the Dooryard, delivered the art-enhanced table to the Rose Garden on Broadway. She explained the children and some adults had a great time creating the functioning piece of art.
“A few parents who couldn’t resist, joined in on the fun by adding their own prints,” she said. “We even have a bare footprint of a little three-year-old girl.”
The youth group asked Woodstock Coun. Christa McCartney and member of the Communities in Bloom committee to suggest a recipient for this gift.
“The Rose Garden immediately came to mind,” she said.
McCartney saw the table and garden as a perfect match.
“I felt it would be a great fit as the garden has had such a wonderful impact on the community and neighbourhood,” she said.
WCRG board president Lori Thomas accepted the keepsake on July 20, having it gently placed inside the new garden pavilion.
She expressed the board’s gratitude.
“It really goes along with our vision of attracting more families with young children,” she said.
