GDABVI and THE GREENING OF DETROIT TO UNVEIL SENSORY GARDEN

DETROIT (July 13, 2007) – After more than a year in the making, the Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired (GDABVI) and The Greening of Detroit will unveil a unique new garden that piques the senses of smell, taste and touch. Made possible with the generous support of the Carls Foundation, the sensory garden will improve Detroit’s West Side while providing GDABVI clients with an opportunity to utilize and develop their sensory skills.

“This is an excellent example of how nonprofits can collaborate in innovative ways,” says GDABVI President & CEO Gail McEntee. “Our organizations would seem to have missions that aren’t necessarily compatible, but they really are. We both want to make metro Detroit a better place for everyone, be they sighted or visually impaired.”

“Our goal is to motivate people throughout the area to help improve our ecosystem, and to increase their capacity to enjoy the natural environment. We are thrilled to bring our message to a new audience in Detroit’s incredibly diverse community. GDABVI’s lovely garden was designed to provide an ideal place for individuals who are blind and visually impaired to explore their environment,” says Greening of Detroit President Rebecca Salminen Witt.

The unveiling will take place on the last day of GDABVI’s Summer Enrichment Camp, which teaches important life skills to children who are blind and visually impaired in a fun, nurturing environment. Camp participants will help host the event and their families will also be on hand to celebrate the day.

The Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides innovative services that increase self-reliance, productivity, and dignity for persons who are blind or visually impaired throughout the seven-county Southeastern Michigan region.

The Greening of Detroit works to guide and inspire to grow a ‘greener’ Detroit through planting and educational programs, environmental leadership, advocacy, and by building community capacity.

Both GDABVI and The Greening of Detroit would like to extend a very special thank you to volunteers from MAS Youth, a division of the Muslim American Society that prepares young people to be at the forefront of development in their communities. Their tremendous effort played a key role in the planting of the garden.

Contact:
Robert Boyle, Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired
313-272-3900 - boyle@GDABVI.org
Monica Tabares, The Greening of Detroit
313-237-8733 - monica@greeningofdetroit.com