by Lauren Kruchten | Jul 15, 2020 | July/August 2020, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Raleigh’s own Juniper Level Botanic Garden is like something out of a fairytale. A trickling stream winds its way through native perennials, exotic plants and rare specimens, interspersed with natural wonders such as the grotto garden waterfall.
The not-for-profit garden was established by plantsman Tony Avent, an NC State alum, in 1988, on 2.2 acres of abandoned tobacco fields with the mission to “promote and preserve botanic diversity by bridging the gap between botany and horticulture,” according to the website.
Since 1994, Avent has traveled to more than 12 countries and taken more than 80 botanical expeditions, both domestic and international, in order to study and preserve thousands of species of plants. The current collection of more than 30,000 plants spread across 28 acres of land makes the Juniper Level Botanic Garden one of the largest and most diverse in the world.
Onsite, you’ll find greenhouses, fountains, creeks, rock gardens, bogs, rain gardens and fields of shrub and tree trials. Plant Delights Nursery, located adjacent to the gardens, sells more than 1,600 different perennials for visitors to add to their own home gardens.
Juniper Level Botanic Garden and Plant Delights Nursery are open to the public for only eight weekends in the year. This weekend, they’ll hold the last open garden and nursery days for the summer until September. Visit Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Sunday, July 19 from 1 to 5 p.m.
Featured photo by Amanda Wilkins
by Lauren Kruchten | Jul 15, 2020 | July/August 2020, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE As cases of coronavirus continue to rise every day, it has become increasingly important to make sure you’re wearing a face mask when going out in public and in situations where you can’t practice social distancing.
In an effort to set an example for the general public, Duke Health recently launched a masking campaign with the goal to “engage all Duke Health employees to be leaders in wearing a mask—both at work and in their communities—as an effective public health measure to decrease the spread of the coronavirus,” according to Duke Health officials.
Part of the masking campaign uses visual reminders and signage at all three Duke Health hospitals—Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital—that reinforce the importance of employees wearing masks for the benefit of coworkers, patients, visitors and the greater community. These banners emphasize how wearing a face mask shows kindness to others and keeps those around you safe.
Social media engagement, bus wraps and billboards are also a part of the campaign. Duke Raleigh Hospital has shared posts on Facebook educating the public on mask safety and social distancing practices in order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
“Our number one priority is, and always has been, caring for our patients, their loved ones and each other,” one Duke Raleigh Hospital Facebook post reads. “Right now, part of that commitment to caring includes wearing a mask—when we’re at work, in the community and around others. Because for us, wearing a mask isn’t just about protecting ourselves, it’s about protecting everyone.”
Leigh Bleecker, Interim President of Duke Raleigh Hospital, says that masking is just one example of how Duke Health is helping to keep our community safe and protect the public from the spread of infection.
Some frontline hospital workers wear up to four face masks when they’re on the job in order to prevent themselves from spreading the virus to others. The least you can do is wear one mask when you go to the grocery store—by wearing one, it shows that you care about others, not just yourself.
For more information on wearing face masks, visit dukehealth.org/blog/wear-face-mask-protect-each-other.
by Lauren Kruchten | Jul 15, 2020 | July/August 2020, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Since the coronavirus broke out here in the U.S. in February, we’ve seen shortages of toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and other common products we use regularly. Now, the country is facing a coin shortage since the COVID-19 economic shutdown slowed purchasing activity and greatly reduced the number of coins flowing through the economy.
In response to the shortage, Kroger stores have implemented a new policy in which they will not give change to customers who pay with cash. Instead, cashiers will offer shoppers the opportunity to round up their order total to the next dollar to be donated to the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, a Kroger initiative that supports hunger relief efforts across underserved communities.
Customers will also have the opportunity to pay with a credit card or have their change reloaded back onto their loyalty card, which they can then redeem on their next transaction.
Harris Teeter, a Kroger subsidiary, is encouraging its cash-paying shoppers to round up their order totals for the grocery store’s Support Our Troops program, in which 100 percent of funds raised are donated to United Service Organizations (USO) locations local to Harris Teeter’s marketing areas.
“The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation,” says Danna Robinson, Harris Teeter’s communications manager.
This Harris Teeter coin Round Up campaign will last until July 28; then, Harris Teeter will select a new Round Up partner.
by Lauren Kruchten | Jul 14, 2020 | July/August 2020, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Many of us are feeling isolated and lonely right now but there’s one thing that always brings a smile: flowers. For The Flower Shuttle nonprofit’s volunteers, brightening someone’s day with a beautiful bouquet is a pleasure they get to enjoy each week, but their services have been so popular in recent months, they’re running out of vases.
Founded by former Raleigh resident Kathy Reece over a decade ago, The Flower Shuttle recycles flowers that would have been thrown away after weddings, funerals and other events, and delivers them to sick, poor or disabled residents all over the community.
“For some people, it’s the first bouquet that they’ve ever gotten in their life. That’s pretty touching,” says Katherine McVey, the nonprofit’s former president. “We kind of take it for granted, just because we’re affluent and we can afford them. But for these people, I think it makes them feel really special.”
Reece was inspired to start The Flower Shuttle after reading a story in Oprah Magazine in 2006 about a woman in New York who, after seeing just how many flowers were thrown away after events, started a foundation to recycle those flowers and give them to people who needed some cheer.
Realizing just how much of an impact a single bouquet can make, Reece started a similar program in Raleigh, out of her kitchen, until Raleigh Moravian Church agreed to support The Flower Shuttle as a community outreach project, donating $700 in seed money to start the nonprofit. The church continues to serve as headquarters where volunteers meet and create floral arrangements each week, every Tuesday at 10 a.m., to sort, prep and arrange blooms in bud vases and mugs (also donated) from the donations of flowers picked up the same morning or the day before. Volunteers then deliver colorful bouquets to 21 locations across Raleigh, including the Healing Place of Wake County, Sunnybrook, Triangle Family Services and WakeMed.
This month, The Flower Shuttle reached a spectacular milestone by delivering their 200,000th floral arrangement. During the coronavirus pandemic, shuttle volunteers have been gathering in teams in garages, porches and decks—while masked and staying socially distant—to continue their mission of caring and connecting with some of our area’s most vulnerable populations. They currently have ten teams that pick up from 11 donor organizations and deliver flowers to 25 recipient organizations.
“We have received many stories this summer of these flowers bringing joy to not only residents of these facilities, but also to staff members who continue to be such heroes during this pandemic,” says Rena Hatcher, who serves on The Flower Shuttle Administrative Team.
Because of the pandemic, however, The Flower Shuttle is not getting vases returned to them like they normally do, so the group is seeking donations of small, bud and medium vases without writing or logos. Vases can be delivered at any time to The Flower Shuttle’s shed located at the back of Raleigh Moravian Church at 1816 Ridge Road. They ask that vase donations be put in the bin to the left of the shed.
For more information on how you can help, visit theflowershuttle.com.
by Lauren Kruchten | Jul 8, 2020 | Do, July/August 2020, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE In Raleigh, nothing screams summer like sunflowers. In normal times, city workers plant a five-acre field of the golden yellow blooms at Dorothea Dix Park each summer, but, this year, due to COVID-19 concerns, the city decided not to grow them to discourage the crowds.
Luckily, there’s still another sunflower photo op available to you in nearby Clayton this summer. Today, Pace Family Farms will host its annual Sunflower Day, where visitors can stroll through several patches of fully-bloomed sunflowers and take pictures.
Throughout the rest of the year, the you-pick farm practices sustainable agriculture, growing strawberries, onions, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, cucumbers, squash and more. The produce stand will be open during Sunflower Day and Kona Ice will sell snow cones from 1 to 3 p.m. for some cool refreshments on what’s sure to be a hot July afternoon.
During Pace Family Farms’ Sunflower Day, visitors will can cut sunflower stems to take home with them at the price of $1 per stem. Scissors will not be provided, so remember to bring your own–and practice social distancing!
Sunflower Day at Pace Family Farm takes place Thursday, July 9 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 12701 Buffalo Road in Clayton.
