The healing garden at the Neisler Life Enrichment Center, 222 Kings Mountain Blvd., Kings Mountain, has a path that winds through sedges, herbs and fruit trees. It begins and ends in a veranda furnished with rocking chairs, ceiling fans and an outdoor fireplace.
But something was missing — a birdbath and bird feeders.
“We had a birdbath on our wish list for many months and wondered if we would ever get one donated,” Debbie Vaughan, Community Outreach Coordinator, explained in an e-mail.
The center’s wish was granted in March by a group of fourth-graders from Bethware Elementary — Crissie Johnsonbaugh’s “Johnsonbaugh Jaguars.” Johnsonbaugh said her students had been begging her to do a service project.
“We brainstormed different projects, talked to the principal (the students went and talked to her, and then I went later), and decided on buying something for the Life Enrichment Center in Kings Mountain,” Johnsonbaugh wrote in a e-mail.
The students, with Principal Valerie Boyd’s approval, planned, set up and had a bake sale during their Christmas program at school. Faculty and parents donated baked goods. The students raised more than $200 at the bake sale.
“Many of the participants’ own grandchildren are grown now, so they love and have adopted our new young heroes, the Johnsonbaugh Jaguars,” Vaughan said. “I think what means the most is knowing that these young people care about them. It has taken a lot of work from students, parents and teachers to bake, sell and purchase these items and fill our need.”
Along with the birdbath, the students donated a hook, two bird feeders and bird seed. They brought the items to the Life Enrichment Center and visited with the residents.
“I believe the project will have a lasting effect on the students,” Johnsonbaugh said. “The students were proud of helping push some of the residents around in their wheelchairs, and they were just excited in general.”
Vaughan said the act of kindness has meant “the world” to the center’s participants.
“It is wonderful to know that these young people care enough about us to make a difference in both our lives and our healing garden with the birdbath and bird feeders,” she said. “Many of our participants enjoy being outside in the garden area during their day at Life Enrichment Center. They especially enjoy watching, filling the bird feeders and identifying the birds.”
Johnsonbaugh said her students wanted to do something for others, because they have relatives who are in retirement homes or relatives who are serving in the armed forces.
“I believe they have grown up in a time and around family that believes helping others is how we will survive,” she said.
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