News Releases

BRIDGES AT BENT CREEK RESIDENTS "GO GREEN"

GROWERS DAY KICKS OFF "HOME-GROWN" GARDEN, ON-SITE COMPOSTING

MECHANICSBURG, PA, May 8, 2009 – Senior living is no exception to the continuous challenge of behaving ethically when it comes to sustainability and designing greener older adult communities. Residents of The Bridges at Bent Creek in Mechanicsburg, PA, are part of this “growing” trend.  Bridges residents will roll up their sleeves and get down in the dirt during the Bridges “first” Grower’s Day, May 14th, where they will plant vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, arugula and tomatoes. 

To further enhance the Bridges sustainable efforts, a composter was recently purchased so that the community’s pre-consumer food waste can be composted on-site and returned back to their garden to fertilize naturally.

According to Cura Hospitality Director of Dining Services, Drew Kendall, “Older adults are as active as ever concerning green issues and are more aware and better educated on the key health benefits of the food they eat as well as where their food is grown and harvested.  In fact, Cura purchases its food through FarmSource, a Cura program that partners with more than 200 local farms and producers of food that deliver fresh products to senior living communities like the Bridges,” says Kendall.

With the help and instruction of Kendall and Mike Dewalt, owner of Dewalt’s Green House, the residents will be given the “know-how” to plant, water, tend and care for the plants in their garden.  “Dewalt’s donated the vegetables so our residents can plant in the six beds that we opened for them. To save room in our beds, we planted tomatoes and all herbs in planters which will be transplanted to the Bridges garden,” adds Kendall.

Bridges residents like Stanley Bingham, 85, are excited about participating in the Bridges Grower’s Day.   “I was raised on a dairy farm in Altoona, PA, where I also farmed corn, wheat and hay. I’ve had a garden ever since.”  Before moving to the Bridges, Bingham enjoyed his garden in Florida where he grew strawberries, beans, tomatoes, peas and scallions and also cared for several fruit trees.  “I love to get out in the ground.  Considering how old I am, I’m used to playing in the dirt like a little boy,” chuckles Bingham.

Greta Peffer, 77, is another Bridges resident who has farming in her DNA and will lend her expertise to the Bridges Garden.  “My husband and I started farming when I was 18 and purchased our first farm in Monroe County when I was 24.”  Married for 56 years, Mrs. Peffer was in the field every day farming corn and soy beans, and tended a personal garden for her family where she grew corn, sweet potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, onions and sugar peas.   “I did all my own canning, freezing and raised my own beef,” says Mrs. Peffer proudly.
 
The “harvest” from the Bridges garden will be used by Cura’s executive chef to prepare foods for the residents’ menu and will be identified with a tomato logo when these foods are featured.