BLOOMING CONNECTIONS: INTERGENERATIONAL FLORAL WORKSHOPS

BLOOMING CONNECTIONS WAS A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE LED BY SAMANTHA TEICHMAN (SFU GERONTOLOGY) AND SYDNEY WITOSKI (FLOWER HOUSE STUDIOS), SUPPORTED BY SFU’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE.

THE PROJECT HOSTED TWO INTERGENERATIONAL FLOWER ARRANGEMENT WORKSHOPS AT THE WEST END SENIORS’ NETWORK, DESIGNED TO FOSTER MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SFU STUDENTS AND OLDER ADULTS THROUGH CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND SHARED STORYTELLING.

THE WORKSHOPS OFFERED A HANDS-ON FLORAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE, ENCOURAGING PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE THE EMOTIONAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FLOWERS WHILE ENGAGING IN OPEN DIALOGUE ACROSS. GENERATIONS. EACH SESSION CULMINATED IN PARTICIPANTS TAKING HOME THEIR ARRANGEMENTS – SYMBOLS OF CONNECTION, MEMORY, AND JOY.