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Keep Ohio Beautiful and the Home Depot Foundation Creates Outdoor Refuge
at Chalmers P. Wylie Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center
Keep Ohio Beautiful and The Home Depot Foundation visited the Chalmers P. Wylie Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center on October 17, 2013 to create a peaceful green space for veterans and their families.
The Columbus VA initiative is among several similar projects funded by a grant to Keep Ohio Beautiful from the Home Depot Foundation. Approximately 80 Home Depot associates from 14 Home Depot stores in central Ohio worked to help enhance outdoor space for the veterans. The volunteers installed multiple projects, including:
- A paver patio with a pergola, which will be used for entertainment and education for outdoor programs and events.
- A patio with seating and plantings for veterans and their families to relax and visit while they are at the Medical Center for treatment.
- Two raised planters where veterans can plant and care for annuals and vegetables.
- A buffer zone comprised of 25 arborvitae trees around the grounds to make it an inviting space for veterans and their families.
“These projects provide veterans with increased access to new and improved gardens, but also an opportunity to be actively engaged in horticultural activities with the introduction of raised beds and planters, and have peaceful visiting areas with the addition of the patios,” explained Michael Mennett, Executive Director of Keep Ohio Beautiful.
The green space around the Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center is used for a variety of activities, such as exercise, picnics and patient rehabilitation through horticulture therapy practices. A comprehensive garden program was developed to allow veterans to grow plants from seed and distribute the grown vegetables to other veterans. With the new raised beds, veterans who are physically compromised will now have an easier time participating in this activity.
“I would characterize the veterans’ sentiment towards this project as one of gratitude, and when individuals and organizations honor their service through projects like this, there is a genuine sense of appreciation for their efforts,” said Keith Sullivan, director, Chalmers P. Wylie Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center. “With the help of Keep Ohio Beautiful and the Home Depot Foundation, the new greening projects add to our ongoing Relationship Based Care Initiative that aims to care for the veterans’ mind, body and spirit through a caring and healing environment.”
After the work was completed, Keep Ohio Beautiful held a dedication ceremony with remarks from speakers Dan Weisenbach, vice president, Keep Ohio Beautiful; Frank Graves, RPSM, Ohio Valley northern division, Home Depot; Keith Sullivan, director of the Chalmers P. Wylie Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center; Rick Isabel, Mayor Coleman’s cabinet member and veterans affairs coordinator; and Mayor Kim Maggard, The City of Whitehall.
“The Home Depot Foundation shares a passion with Keep Ohio Beautiful to help make a difference in the lives of the veterans at the Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “We were thrilled to be part of their efforts by lending a hand for this project that will benefit so many veterans and their families.”
Visit our Photo Link on our Home Page for VA Beautification Project Pictures
Keep Ohio Beautiful Teamed up with The Home Depot for VA Hospital Makeover
Keep Ohio Beautiful was awarded an $80,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation for its Ohio Valley Region VA Medical Center Community Beautification and Greening Project. In partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and Team Depot, Keep Ohio Beautiful will revitalize outdoor green spaces on October 25th at the Dayton VA Medical Center in Dayton, OH.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Team Depot in revitalizing and restoring these gardens; it is just one way that Keep Ohio Beautiful can say thank you to our veterans and their families for the sacrifices they have made for our communities and our country,” explained Michael Mennett, Executive Director of Keep Ohio Beautiful, whose mission is empowering Ohio to make our communities clean and beautiful.
This effort is part of Celebration of Service, The Home Depot Foundation’s two-month initiative to improve homes and lives for U.S. military veterans. During Celebration of Service, The Home Depot associates will complete hundreds of service projects across the country between September 11 and Veterans Day to give back to those who have served our nation.
“One of our core values as a company is giving back to the communities we serve. We are proud to give back to the Veterans that have sacrificed so much for us and help improve their quality of life.” explained Andy Riggs, Team Depot Volunteer Leader.
Keep Ohio Beautiful Teams Up with The Home Depot Foundation
for Greening Projects at Regional Veterans Affairs Hospitals
Dayton VA Medical Center received a garden makeover during the 2012 Celebration of Service
Keep Ohio Beautiful was awarded an $80,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation for its Ohio Valley Region VA Hospital Community Beautification and Greening Project. In partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and Team Depot, Keep Ohio Beautiful will revitalize outdoor green spaces at two Veteran Affair Hospitals in the Ohio Valley Region including the Dayton VA Medical Center. A similar project was completed at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s Pittsburgh H.J. Heinz Campus in September.
Through this effort, gray and empty courtyards and dark cement patios will be transformed into beautiful gardens for our veterans as they work to both physically and emotionally heal from the wounds of war. “The Dayton project will provide veterans with increased access to new and improved gardens, but also an opportunity to be actively engaged in horticultural activities with the introduction of raised beds and planters, and improved access to the greenhouse,” said Michael Mennett, executive director, Keep Ohio Beautiful. The project will directly benefit more than 750 veterans and their families in the Dayton area.
Approximately 125 volunteers began working at the Dayton VA Medical Center on October 25 at 7:00 a.m. Five outdoor spaces will get facelifts, with tasks ranging from planting perennials and mulching to building planting tables and composters. Additionally, a ceremony to dedicate the gardens was held at 2:00 p.m.
This effort is part of Celebration of Service, The Home Depot Foundation’s two-month initiative to improve homes and lives for U.S. military veterans. During Celebration of Service, The Home Depot associates will complete hundreds of service projects across the country between September 11 and Veteran’s Day on November 12 to give back to those who have served our nation.
Visit our Photo Link on our Home Page for VA Beautification Project Pictures