Whole Health to host Fall Garden Celebration, Sept. 6

The Fall Garden Celebration is an opportunity for Veterans, families, and caregivers to check out the garden while learning about health and wellness through live, educational demonstrations. During the celebration, those in attendance can expect to participate in activities like drumming, mural painting, ask the gardener, selfies with sunflowers, and more. Light, healthy bites will also be served throughout the event.

“Come out and take in the fresh air, smell the mint and sage, see the colorful flowers and produce, feel the dirt, and taste the bounty of the harvest,” said Dr. Shari Frensemeier, Whole Health Section Chief and health psychologist. “ We hope you’ll join us for a mindful experience that engages all your senses.”  

The VA Organic Garden, located at the rear of the medical center, opened in 2022 to serve as an inclusive, therapeutic environment where Veterans, their families, and caregivers can partake in fellowship and gardening. While part of the gardening experience is centered on the positive impacts it has on mental and emotional health, Veterans also learn to prepare nutritious meals using the produce they’ve grown during Healthy Teaching Kitchen classes led by VA dietitians.

VA Organic Garden groups meet year-round with a different focus each quarter. Any VA-enrolled Veteran and their caregiver may join the gardening groups at any time.  Garden groups meet on Mondays and Fridays from 10 – 11 a.m.  To get started, participants are asked to attend a one-time session to create a personalized health plan that is centered on what matters to them. For more information or to register, call 513-475-6381. 

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ABOUT THE CINCINNATI VA MEDICAL CENTER

At the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, our health care teams are deeply experienced and guided by the needs of Veterans, their families, and caregivers.

The Cincinnati VAMC provides health care services at 12 locations serving a 15-county catchment area in Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana: two hospitals, nine community-based outpatient clinics, and a mobile care unit. As a teaching hospital, the Cincinnati VAMC maintains approximately 85 academic affiliations in health care fields, including dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, social work, and psychology. In 1991, the medical center formed the non-profit research foundation, the Cincinnati Education For Veterans Foundation, Inc, to improve health care for Veterans, which currently operates more than 200 research projects in areas like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, cardiology, diabetes, and more. For more information about the health care services offered, visit www.va.gov/cincinnati-health-care/.

Todd Sledge, Chief, Public Affairs Officer