Mercy Medical Center Redding's Healing Garden
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A Place to Rest, to Restore and Heal
By Sister Brenda O'Keeffe, RSM
Mercy's Healing Garden has been a vision of Sister Brenda O'Keeffe's for many years. "Creating sacred spaces for prayer, meditation and healing have always been part of our healing ministry. The idea of a healing garden began to germinate in my heart in 2002. I could see a garden designed especially as a place of prayer and quiet where patients, families, employees, physicians, and volunteers could spend time reflecting and healing."
Michael O’Connor, from Nichols, Melburg, and Rossetto, donated his time to envision some preliminary ideas and engaged Kate Gleim, a design consultant nationally renowned as a designer of healing gardens, to create an architectural rendition of the garden. In 2003, Kate captured the vision in a beautiful design and portrayed the space as “rooms” within the garden, in the hope that there will be a garden environment suited to most people who enter, and at the very least an all-encompassing sense of peace and well-being. A visitor may walk through each “room” as one feels drawn on any given day.
Work Progress to Date
The Zen/Desert “room” is well on its way toward completion. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Peggy and Mike Manning, owners of Manning Tree Garden, two beautiful Japanese maple trees have now been selected and planted. A Japanese bamboo tree and sand with large stones have also been placed in the space.
How is the Garden going to be Completed?
The garden will be completed in phases as donated funds become available. Keeping the integrity of the garden “rooms” over the years will be critical. Donation of funds rather than donation of flowers, plants, trees, furniture etc., are being requested. A catalogue of flowers, plants, trees and other materials is being created to ensure consistency of the “rooms” in the event there is need for replacement. The major structural items to be purchased include (all cost amounts are estimates):
- A wall water fountain - $600
- Sound System and Lighting - $12,000
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- A waterfall flowing under bridge into pond
approximate cost: $35,000
- Encasing and securing the Gold Rush sculpture - $500
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- A small wooden bridge
approximate cost: $1,800
- Three dimensional painting of concrete walls
(cost unknown as of now)
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- Five (5) benches, two (2) chairs and one (1) small table - $2,000
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- A stone pedestal with a scripture verse visible upon entry to garden - $400
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- Plants and flowers - $2,000
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All money for this project is being collected through donations. Mercy’s capital funds are not being used. The garden will be completed in stages as funds become available. You are invited to help make this garden a reality by making a donation toward its completion. It will be a sacred space that all of us can enjoy for years to come.
Use the donation forms available at the top of this page to support the Healing Garden Project. If you would like more information please contact us at MercyFoundationNorthContactUs@chw.edu or call 530.247.3424.
