Grandchildren and Grandparents Enjoy Special Day at Brighton District Library

Grand Day in the Garden gave area grandparents and grandchildren the opportunity to share in various fun activities while spending time out of doors.

The program, which took place in the library’s garden adjacent to the Youth Services department (you can see it from that area’s windows), was organized by Margaret Vergith and Jane Reed. Both women are program specialists for Youth Services. 

She explained the event also has another purpose: to raise awareness within the community that this lovely garden is at the library, which she described as “one of the best-kept secrets” in Brighton.

Vergith, a resident of Brighton Township, agreed, adding, “It is like a little ‘secret garden’ for our community and our library.” 

A master gardener, Reed always enjoys sharing her love of gardening with the children. “I’m always hoping that they will get excited about gardening and to give some ideas to the grandparents and parents about what to do with their children,” she explained. 

In addition, Vergith said, “It’s also an opportunity for grandparents to have a special day with their grandchild. (Although this event was designed to allow all grandparents and grandchildren to connect through garden activities, no grandpas came this time. Adults who took part in the fun included several grandmas, a couple of parents and a nanny. 

Activities included a song with hand gestures to get everyone warmed up, a story time featuring Reed reading Muncha! Muncha! Muncha, and making a flower bracelet made by children plucking the flowers of their choice and weaving them through a wristband of tape.

The highlight, though, were three sit-down stations with hands-on activities, such as flower planting, making a garden hat from newspaper, tape and colorful cutouts, and “panning” for colorful gems (as well as a few shells) through sand. 

“We did it last year, and it was a big success,” Reed said. It was definitely worth doing again 

Angie Trinka of Brighton agreed this was a worthwhile event. She and her granddaughters, Serena and Tara Wilhelm (ages 4 and 2, respectively) really enjoyed the event. It was especially fun for Serena, who often helps Trinka in her garden. 

“I’m a garden lover to begin with,” Trinka said, “so it’s fun to be here with something I enjoy to teach them.”

Alyssa Huff, a regular volunteer with the library who lives in Milford, truly enjoyed helping out with this successful event. She believes it gives them a great activity rather than an everyday visit with their grandparents to remember. 

“They have something unusual to do, something to look forward to doing with grandma," the 14-year-old added. I think it’s really cute to see the little kids hanging out with their grandmas.”