Zany for Zinnias

Jefferson Elementary School fourth-graders Nick Allen, Pedro Salazar, Ricky Yang, Kai Gerr and Gabby Lind planted zinnias at Mercy Hospital. The students grew and planted the seedlings with help from Mercy's Healing Environment Committee. They started by planting seeds in cups last month, and this week, about 30 of the students put their seedlings in the ground at the hospital, in Coon Rapids.

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Photo caption: Jefferson Elementary School fourth graders Nick Allen, Pedro Salazar, Ricky Yang, Kai Gerr and Gabby Lind planted zinnias at Mercy Hospital. The students grew and planted the seedlings with help from Mercy's Healing Environment Committee.

Fourth graders contribute to Mercy Hospital's healing environment

COON RAPIDS, Minn. - (May 31, 2007) - They planted zinnia seeds last month in cups, and this week, about 30 fourth graders from Jefferson Elementary School in Blaine put their seedlings in the ground at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.

The planting followed a greeting from hospital president Tom O'Connor and a brief tour inside the hospital. Paramedics from Allina Medical Transportation also gave the students tours of an ambulance.

Most of the students raised their hands when asked if they had ever been hospital patients or visitors, and about half responded positively when asked if they ever wanted to work in healthcare.

"This is a great opportunity for kids to see that hospitals employ more than nurses and physicians. They are like little cities," said Mary Gliniany, an environmentalist who helped the students grow and plant the zinnias.

The zinnia event was arranged by the hospital's Healing Environment Committee that looks for ways to soften the high-tech feel of the hospital by adding soothing features such as flowers, art and music.

"I wanted to tap into the energy and creativity of children. They are a valuable resource in our community and part of the future for building a better way to deliver healthcare. It makes me smile to see how they contributed to the healing environment of our hospital. What a gift we get when we plant seeds," said Patty Kaiser, committee member and organizer of the zinnia project.

Because the planting was not a scheduled school field trip, Central Bank at Riverdale in Coon Rapids sponsored the bus that brought the students to the hospital. 

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Tags: zinnias, children, hospital