Skip to content

Langley seniors handcraft blooms for gala garden

Chartwell residents help create flowers for Saturday night’s Monet-inspired hospital fundraiser
29108762_web1_220512-LAT-RH-SeniorsMakeGalaBlooms-flowers_1
Watercolours and food dye were used to bring coffee-filter flowers to life by residents of the Langley Gardens. They will be part of the ‘Grow a Garden of Hope’ art installation at this weekend’s hospital fundraising gala. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

At least half a dozen seniors at Langley Gardens have been toiling away for more than a month now, creating flowers for a very special garden.

It’s a multi-panel Monet-inspired garden painting that stands five feet tall and 12 feet wide, and will be adorned by 200 of these coffee-filter flowers individually handcrafted and coloured by the Chartwell Langley Gardens residents.

The artificial garden is a backdrop for this coming Saturday’s hospital gala at the Coast Hotel. And each of these blooms will be sold for $25 each. Purchasers will then be given the opportunity to “plant” their flower in the garden, themselves, explained Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Terra Scheer.

RELATED: Langley gala celebrates sense of renewal

The team of seniors have been spending a few hours a week leading up to the fundraiser making and painting the flowers with watercolours or food dye to bring them to life, explained Alanna Tieszen, program manager at Langley Gardens.

“They’ve loved the experience, it’s been really, really fun,” Tieszen said of the seniors reaction to the art project.

“The residents were touched that the foundation wanted to involve them in some way” in the gala, she noted. But, moreover, they were excited to learn the Grow a Garden of Hope art installation being used at the Monet’s Garden inspired gala will live on after the event. It will be moved to the hospital for visitors to enjoy.

The art installation has been made by artist and Langley City Councillor Rosemary Wallace.

Gala ticket sales were sold out as of Sunday with 250 guests expected – although some arrangements could still be accommodated another table, if necessary, Scheer said.

Anyone unable to attend in person is still encouraged to enjoy the gala at home with a gala box. For $250, participants receive a French-inspired dinner for two including a bottle of wine, a centerpiece bouquet of flowers, gala favours, and a link to a special performance from singer-songwriter, Ben Dunnill.

READ MORE: Letter campaign for Langley seniors overwhelmed with scribes

And the public is also encouraged to take part in the online raffle for a chance to win flights for 2, to any Air Canada destination in North America (www.lmhfoundation.com/raffle), and the silent auction, which is now live and features more than 50 packages from getaways to home decor to artwork.

More information on all of the gala activities – in advance or for the night of – is available at lmhfoundation.com/gala.

.


Is there more to the story? Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
29108762_web1_220512-LAT-RH-SeniorsMakeGalaBlooms-flowers_2
Watercolours and food dye were used to bring coffee-filter flowers to life by residents of the Langley Gardens. They will be part of the ‘Grow a Garden of Hope’ art installation at this weekend’s hospital fundraising gala. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
29108762_web1_220512-LAT-RH-SeniorsMakeGalaBlooms-flowers_3
Watercolours and food dye were used to bring coffee-filter flowers to life by residents of the Langley Gardens. They will be part of the ‘Grow a Garden of Hope’ art installation at this weekend’s hospital fundraising gala. (Special to Langley Advance Times)