Church's Plant Sale A Success
By Steve Theiss

Ellen Pantin, Joyce Tenney and Kathy Shohfi

The sight of a plant in a hospital room is not an uncommon one. A plant has a way of brightening a space and improving, if not the patient's health, at least his mood. Lutheran Church of the Resurrection found another way that plants can help recovering patients. The patients in this case are soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the plants in question never even reached the soldiers' rooms. In fact, in most cases the plants never left Long Island. They were sold.

Resurrection's 2nd Annual Plant Sale took in $3500 last month, an improvement on the previous year's figure. In addition, benefit society Thrivent Financial has given a grant of $1000 in response to the sale's success. All funds will be donated to the Walter Reed Society Family Support Fund, a volunteer-run organization that assists wounded and recovering servicemen and women by taking care of expenses not covered by the government. Among other things, these expenses might include airfare for visiting family members, missed mortgage payments, and childcare costs.

Event co-chair Ellen Farber shows appreciation for all who participated.

The church's Women's Ministries group, which sponsors the event, has already selected May 3rd of next year for the 3rd Annual Plant Sale. Resurrection-Garden City is a Christian community of faith, located at 420 Stewart Avenue. All are welcome to worship on Saturdays at 5:30 PM and Sundays at 8:30 and 11 AM, with Sunday School and Adult Education at 9:45 AM. Parking is available on Devereux and Emmet Place. For more information, please visit www.resgc.org or call 746.4426.

Sandra Altman, Colleen Gearns and Armia Bajit-Taylor