Over 10 community members came out to take part in the annual gardening program at Xatśūll which was held in conjunction with a drumming ceremony in honour of the 215 children’s bodies found at the Residential School Site in Kamloops.
“It was good to have the gardening workshop combined with it because it was a really tough moment for everybody and then to come and do some gardening was almost therapeutic,” says Community Health Representative Janae Beaulieu who helped organize both events.
Over the course of the day about 30 people attended between the ceremony and the gardening program as a whole, says Beaulieu. During the gardening program, participants got to learn a little bit about herbs and their uses and made themselves a little herb garden. They also got to take home some tomato plants, strawberry hanging baskets, saskatoon bushes and flowers.
“This is my favourite program. I look forward to it every year,” says Beaulieu who initially started out at the community garden.
It’s important to teach community members about gardening and healthy eating, she says.
“It doesn’t take very much,” she says.
For the ceremony, Cindy M. Charleyboy performed drumming songs along with some staff members. The ceremony was led by Councillor Mike Stinson. Beaulieu thanks both of them for their participation.
