Group working with others to help the disabled

TATAMAGOUCHE - A group of people aiming to improve wellness for disabled residents on the North Shore is working toward its goal by partnering with other organizations.
Joan MacKeigan, spokeswoman for the group, said disabled people from Toney River to Wallace often find themselves too far from the centres of organized activity in New Glasgow, Truro, and Amherst, so they would like to see more activities for people with disabilities along the North Shore and more avenues for integrating them into the mainstream
population.
"People with disabilities have wonderful abilities and they are not finding expression for their abilities at the moment," said
MacKeigan.
She said they have a commitment from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College to participate involving its new horticultural therapy program and are seeking to build partnerships that optimize structure already in place and to stimulate a grassroots contribution to help disabled people find an appreciated place in the community.
MacKeigan was instrumental in establishing the non-profit group Butterflies and Blooms, which hosted programs for people with disabilities in the Remembrance Gardens in River John during the past few years.
She is hoping that initiative will evolve when representatives of several groups with a common interest meet at the Tatamagouche Centre at 2 p.m. on Jan. 11.
There will be a short presentation on horticultural therapy and will touch on the stories of other similar projects in Canada, such as Providence Farm, B.C. (www.providence.bc.ca)
MacKeigan said the group wants to involve a variety of organizations, businesses, individuals and persons with disabilities in the program and welcomes anyone who is interested to participate in the meeting.
For more information contact MacKeigan at 657-2644 or macmarwa@gmail.com.