Volunteer gardeners care for the refuge

A majority of the BA’s 24-acre campus is covered in soaring, mature trees and natural undergrowth - dotted with hearty, bright pink rhododendrons that bloom right around Annual Meeting each year. Then there are large, manicured garden beds on the grounds, and planters near each building - all lovingly cared for by our volunteer gardeners.

Sandi Baehrend lives just 3 miles from the BA and has been tending the gardens at the BA regularly since 2015. She comes over about one day a week, according to what’s needed. She spends more time in the spring when the gardens are just waking up and during warm weather (like this week!) when the gardens need to be watered more regularly.

She tends the long garden bed in front of the East Wing of the Original Building, the round Friendship Garden on the east side of the Original Building, as well as a few gardens in the back of the property.

“I love gardening,” says Sandi. “It’s a joyful activity - you hear the birds, and the environment at the BA is so wonderful, so peaceful and quiet. The people that come out for walks give you such nice spiritual thoughts and it’s just a joy!”

Rob Collier from Grand Rapids, MI visits the BA a few times each year and always finds time for a garden project. He recently refreshed the large brick garden boxes in front of the Christian Science Nursing Building with the assistance of CSNYSC Intern Owen Sipe.

“It is a privilege to join other volunteers in caring for this beautiful campus at the BA that provides a divinely peaceful refuge,” says Rob. “I find inspiration in Mrs. Eddy’s words on page 247 in Science and Health -  ’Beauty, as well as truth, is eternal;…’ ‘Beauty is a thing of life, which dwells forever in the eternal Mind and reflects the charms of His goodness in expression, form, outline, and color. It is Love which paints the petal with myriad hues, glances in the warm sunbeam, arches the cloud with the bow of beauty, blazons the night with starry gems, and covers earth with loveliness.’ Beauty and truth are indeed being demonstrated at the BA in the daily expression of Love which encompasses everyone in this inspired atmosphere.”

How grateful we are for all the wonderful ways volunteers support this refuge!

Sandi and Rob would love more volunteers to join them in the garden! If you are interested, send an email to: theBA@chbenevolent.org with your name and phone number and we’ll get in touch.