Source: http://ionstratford.ca/2012/06/14/seniors-and-kids-dedicate-handmade-butterfly-houses/
If you were a butterfly, where would you like to live? Well, there are some new handmade butterfly houses just waiting for new tenants in the garden at Avon Public School in Stratford.
Handmade and painted butterfly houses, made by grade 6 students from the school as well as the Perth Huron VON’s Day Away clients, were dedicated to the garden on Thursday.
Over an eight week period in the late winter and early spring, small groups of the students made the trip to the Day Away program at Spruce Lodge. They worked alongside the clients, many with Alzheimers, as they sanded and painted the wooden houses. The houses were constructed by volunteer Cyril White from discarded wood from the Stratford Festival and delicately adorned with folk art painting by volunteer Lois Sweeny.
Avon principal Janet Jamieson said when the school found out about the Day Away program they discovered they needed each other. “Working alongside each other, the students learned about people,” said Jamieson at the ceremony. “They shared wisdom and took back with them kindness and empathy.”
The garden at Avon is already formally recognized as a Monarch Way Station for the migration of Monarchs by the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
Jane MacPhail is the VON Adult Day Away Program Co-ordinator and she facilitated the project along with parent volunteers Mindy Gough and Renee Broadhurst.
“We all became friends,” said MacPhail. “We look forward to doing it again in the fall with a new group of kids.”
Photo above: Grade 1 student Jakob Smith with one of the butterfly houses
Avon Public School Grade 6 students and VON Day Away Clients and volunteers
Another one of the beautiful handmade butterfly houses at Avon’s Garden
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