There are multiple winners every time the Cochrane and District Horticultural Society holds its semiannual plant sale fundraiser.
The buyers leave happy, the club members are thrilled to share their knowledge and passion, and a worthy local cause is supported.
Horticultural Society president Paola Dottor-Cena says some of the groups they have supported over the years fall under the radar.
The sales bring out a whole group of people that are kind of committed in the same way-- people who are passionate about gardening but also passionate about the community because they know that by purchasing from us, they're not only supporting the community but supporting the sponsors and all our sponsors are local. So, it's kind of a full circle thing."
The proceeds of the fall sale are going to the Friends of the Spirit Winds Ranch Society that provides equine assisted learning to 13 schools in the area. Ranch owner and facilitator Laurel Griffin attended the fall sale on Sept. 15 to provide information on the organization.
"Often they're under recognized," says Dotter-Cena. "You don't know about them until you need them, and so having her here with us is really important because we really want to support those small local initiatives, which Laurel certainly is with the work that she does with the equine horse therapy."
Through the programs of Spirit Winds, youth are taught how to change their perspective on social interaction and coordination while learning essential skills such as teamwork, leadership, empathy and communication.
"We are so grateful for any funding. It's just been such a tough road for these schools. They have no funding for the programming that we're running and so we're working to find little pots of funding, here there, and everywhere to put these kids into the program from the schools."
She says most of their students are in grade 7, and they're already in trouble.
"We are so grateful to be working with them and give them a hand with the horses."
Griffin explains the program they run was developed by two farm women 28 years ago in Prince Albert, SK. She is contracted by Rocky View County to work with the schools on the west side of the Rocky View School Division.
"I've been very fortunate to do what I do as an agricultural person. I've been around horses all my life since before I could walk and so to be able to give back to my community and to have groups like the Cochrane & District Horticultural Society support us is so meaningful. I've been working eight years at this on the farm, mostly by myself with volunteers, but it's been a struggle."
Spirit Winds is now extending more of its programs into community. She's hoping to work further with restorative justice, Seniors for Kids, and Victim Services.
"We've done a little bit of work for them and I'm just very grateful to now play a larger part in the community than just being siloed on the farm."
The fall sale is the smaller of the two held annually by the horticultural society. But there's no shortage of work gardeners can do in the fall.
"There are fewer things in the fall (sale), and people often don't come as much as they do in the spring because particularly novice gardeners are thinking about annuals, and a lot of people think what the heck are we going to plant in September," says Dotter-Cena.
"For example, we've had a frost. But with a lot of the perennials, it's the roots that are what's important. You get those in the ground now, they start to root for next year, and you start off the season running."
