About Foxglove Community Garden

Activities Unlimited of Cowichian Valley is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing meaningful activities for seniors. Activities Unlimited recognizes that bringing seniors together in a meaningful activity inspires a sense of community.

With that purpose in mind we have created the “Foxglove Community Gardens,” a community garden where seniors and youth can come together in a pleasurable goal, namely to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs to nourish both the body and the soul.

The Foxglove Community Gardens founded in 2005, offers a safe, secure and friendly place where people meet other people, share ideas, make friends and build community. Researchers believe that building community is essential. Community gardens do build community beyond the borders of the garden and bring the people from the islolation of their home to the comforts of an accepting and prosperous environment.

Statistics Canada (year 2001) noted the Cowichian Valley has the highest population of seniors (age 55-85) in B.C. Activities Unlimited with the “Foxglove Community Gardens” is well poised to take it’s place in the community as a provider of meaningful activities for seniors.

BUILDING THE GARDEN

The Foxglove Community Gardens are grateful to Catalyst Paper, Crofton Division, for the seed money donated to start the garden. Catalyst Paper saw the potential for a community garden in Crofton and with their faith in the then newly formed non-profit society Activities Unlimited, donated $2500.00 to start the garden project. Without the trust and vision of Catalyst Paper, the Foxglove Guest Gardens could not have been started.

Social Development Canada provided funding in the amount of $23,500.00 from the New Horizons for Seniors Program for the Foxglove Community Gardens. The gardens were assured of completion with the generous gift from New Horizons.

Vancouver Foundation, founded in 1943, the largest and one of the oldest community foundations in Canada funded a grant for $15,00.00. With this overwhelming generosity and faith in the garden, Foxglove Community Gardens has become a destination for other communities establishing senior programs.