Healing garden just a start

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The Stardale Women's Group Inc. Foundation, located in Melfort, dedicated a healing garden to the city on Nov. 10.

On hand at the ceremony were Sophie Keetnatch, Stardale's Elder, as well as Rev. Dan Young of the Covenant Church. Young represented one of the partners in the project, the Melfort Ministorial Association.

A dedication plaque set on a large rock was unveiled. On the plaque are the names of all the partners in the healing garden project-Stardale, Plura (an organization comprised of the Presbyterian, Lutheran, United, Roman Catholic and Anglican churches that fights poverty) CanSask, and the Canada Millenium Partnership program.

"We have a very large partnership, which is very much a part of community development, networking, and it's all about our motto -Breaking the cycles by creating the circles," said Helen McPhaden, program co-ordinator of Stardale.

The healing garden is not yet completed.

"We've got some trees, and that's about it, because we did not do the dedication until the fall. We didn't even really start building it until the fall."

Much of the work in the garden has been done by many of the women who are involved in the education programs that Stardale heads up. With a mandate to empower women, much of the program includes training women in different craft industries, such as weaving both cloth and wicker.

"Also with the park, we did beautiful willow work. We created beautiful willow arbors that are mounted in the ground, and willow benches that we'll bring back out in the spring. They're gorgeous. They're all woven. Even the willow instructor said it blew her away.

"The girls made planters out of railroad ties, and we took three-foot rebar and hammered them into the ground, so it was an initiative!"

Plans for the gardens foliage have already been decided.

"We had already started the plants and seedlings back in the spring. What we did is, we ordered all the seeds (and) we started all the seeds here."

Because of the lateness of the dedication, "we ended up moving them over to my house, which is down the street, so they could get lots of light," said McPhaden.

"Because of the time frame, I dug out a garden, which is new for me because I just moved here, and (planted) all those seeds that took-they're all perrenials-we'll be moving them in late April or early May next year, so that's where it sits right now."

"It's a healing prayer meditative garden. That's what it's supposed to be."

The healing garden is just one of the projects Stardale is working on.

"We're working on our weaving project right now. Thats funded through the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, and it's called the Sacred West....

"Weaving is the second oldest profession in the world for women. If you check into any history, it is there, and it has survived, and weaving has helped women put food on the table, if you will."

Part of the plan with this program is that, for many women with families, learning to weave would be a way that would enable women to become providers for their families. This way, they would have both a career to financially help with their families' needs, as well as a way to stay close to home so they could be there for their children.

"The women attend weaving circles, and they talk, said McPhaden of the lessons presently being taught in Melfort.

"The women have been making willow trays, and they're weaving one of a kind pieces to go on the bottom of the tray, with angels, Christmas trees, candy canes, whatever. They're beautiful, and we're baking cookies like crazy.

"What we're doing is, we're putting these into the trays, and we're going to hand deliver locally and Purolate the rest next Monday, and that's our way of saying thank you."

Some of the partners who will be receiving the trays are SaskEnergy, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, Mental Health, RCMP, and Prince Albert Counseling and Mediation services.

"They supply us a counselor one day a week," said McPhaden of the Mediation services agency theywork with.

"So once again, it's our motto, breaking the cycles by creating the circles.