Ele's Place
Ele’s Place is a healing center for grieving children which provides support for children coping with the death or life-threatening illness of a parent, sibling or other loved one. Ele’s Place serves approximately 250 children and their family at no cost. For more information, please contact Ele’s Place at (517) 482-1315. http://www.elesplace.org/
“This garden will create a permanent, natural retreat on the grounds of Ele’s Place where children and their families can spend time healing, reflecting and interacting with nature for many years to come”, said Lori Bosch, Ele’s Place Director of Development.
The Ele's Place Garden project includes:
1) Concept designs for the garden area by 23 senior Landscape Architecture students. (their designs are posted below)
“It’s projects like the Ele’s Place garden that connect us all—MSU University, our students, and the greater community and provides us the collective opportunity to give back to the community,” “Within a two week period, this group of 4th year landscape architecture students will spend over one thousand hours thinking about Ele’s Place and how the garden can foster healing for grieving children and their families.” Dr. Pat Crawford, Ph.D., Ele’s Place Garden Coordinator.
LA students presented their designs at Ele’s Place Thursday, October 15th. Honored guests included Patrick McPharlin, President and CEO of MSU Federal Credit Union, Dr. Denise Maybank, Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Ele’s Place staff and facilitators.
Guest Comments:
“We were overwhelmed with the beauty, creativity, research and compassion that each student integrated into the garden designs.”
“Ele’s Place is grateful that every Landscape Architecture student put the children’s needs first and foremost when designing their gardens.”
“I expected to see beautiful gardens, but I didn’t expect to be emotionally moved by the student’s designs.”
“The Landscape Architecture students made an impression on all of us at Ele’s Place. We know that the final garden design which incorporates elements from each student, will make a lasting impression on every Ele’s Place child, teen and adult for years to come.”
Creating One Plan:
2) Vanessa Warren (an MSU alum, Construction Instructor, and practicing Landscape Architect from Grand Rapids) and Dr. Pat Crawford will work with Ele’s Place to identify the elements of the 23 designs that they would like to see combined into a single design.
Front Landscape:
3) The front and side areas will be a class project with Bob Schutzki’s planting design class in Horticulture this spring.
Construction:
4) Through a volunteer effort and donations the, garden and surrounding landscape improvements will begin construction this spring. Volunteers have already expressed an interest in helping with construction include: Ele’s Place families, MSU Federal Credit Union employees, and Bailey Scholars. If you would like more information please contact Dr. Pat Crawford, crawf203@msu.edu