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PAGE 4 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN January 3, 2019

CANTON - PLYMOUTH

Oasis of calm

Volunteers help children in disasters

Julie Brown New York for 9/11 and the latest was the
Staff Writer shootings in Las Vegas,” she said.
“We spend a weekend being trained
Becky Copenhaver of Canton on how to talk with children following a
Township, a member of Living Peace disaster. Once at a disaster site, we set up
Church in Plymouth, believes in giving to a child care area, bringing a suitcase full
others. of toys and games (called a Kit of
She and her husband, Gary, coordinat- Comfort) and as the children play, they
ed the Plymouth-Canton C.R.O.P. walk in usually want to share their sadness, con-
years past to combat hunger locally and cerns, joys, etc. Our job is to listen and
worldwide. Copenhaver now travels with provide comfort for them,” Copenhaver Terry and Dot Norsen from New York, Kim Black from Pennsylvania, Becky
Children's Disaster Services to help said. “The child care areas are set up in Copenhaver, Jeannette Neal from Tampa, Nancy O'Neill, and Charlot Cole from Illinois
frightened children in disaster zones. the shelters so parents can attend to their are all volunteers with the Children's Disaster Services.
Since 1980, Children's Disaster business such as setting up temporary
Services (CDS) has been meeting the housing, looking about new jobs, or just “Panama City was a little different in dren. There are workshops going on
needs of children by setting up child care getting some extra sleep away from the the fact that most people evacuated the throughout the country. At the CDS web-
centers in shelters and disaster assis- children.” area ahead of the hurricane, so many of site those training sessions will be list-
tance centers across the nation, accord- Children's Disaster Services has more the children had not been back to see if ed.”
ing to the website, www.brethren.org/cds. than 700 volunteers throughout the U.S., their homes were there or not, so the Copenhaver holds an early childhood
Specially trained to respond to trauma- so when a team is needed they contact general emotions were not as sad as in education degree, “so working and being
tized children, volunteers provide a calm, those volunteers closest to the disaster Baton Rouge. with children is a passion of mine.” Gary
safe and reassuring presence in the area first, then send an email to everyone “Since I just worked in Panama City, Copenhaver's interests are different, she
midst of the chaos created by tornadoes, if they don't get enough responses.” Children's Disaster Services wants us to added with a chuckle.
floods, hurricanes, wildfires any natural She traveled to Louisiana a few years wait a bit before helping in another dis- “I always feel like the children and the
or human-caused disaster, the site notes. ago with the organization. aster.” families affected give me so much more
Copenhaver was in Panama City, FLA, “In Baton Rouge we worked with chil- She agreed that the volunteering is than I give them,” she said. “They are so
in October 2018 for Hurricane Michael dren displaced from the flooding there. emotionally challenging. humbled and grateful for our time and
assistance. Many children talked about being evacu- “I think mentally it takes a lot out of commitment in helping their children. I
“Children's Disaster Services is called ated from their homes in boats and even you listening to the children. I will proba- just want to be of service to them.”
by either the American Red Cross or a helicopter. They talked about water bly go back on the list the end of January Four Living Peace Church of
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management coming up and getting higher and higher or February. Plymouth members are trained through
Agency) to send teams to areas hit with a in their homes, prompting them to “I would recommend anyone get Children's Disaster Services, which is
disaster, natural or man-made such as leave,” Copenhaver said. trained if you enjoy working with chil- also on Facebook.
Plymouth nursery is sold to English Gardens

Area gardeners will have something John Darin, has locations in Clinton current Plymouth Nursery customers. tomers with the same high-quality prod-
new to consider this spring when English Township, Dearborn Heights, Eastpointe, “Jeff and his team have built a beauti- ucts and services for which Plymouth
Gardens opens in the current Plymouth Royal Oak/Troy and West Bloomfield. ful operation. We plan to continue his tra- Nursery has become known,” he said.
Nursery & Garden Center site. “English Gardens has been looking for dition of offering high-quality products The Plymouth Nursery name dates
English Gardens has acquired the 55- a new location in this market since we lost and services, while expanding upon the back to 1931. Jones' parents, Wayne and
year-old garden supply and landscape the lease on our Ann Arbor store in store's selection.” English Gardens will Nancy, purchased Plymouth Nursery in
company according to owner Jeff Jones. January 2018,” Darin said. “We are very continue to operate the landscaping por- 1963 from Pete Christensen of
This will mark the sixth location of English pleased about this opportunity and look tion of the business, as well. Christensen's Plymouth Nursery. The
Gardens in the Metro Detroit area. The forward to servicing customers who fre- “We hope that many of Plymouth nursery was moved to its present location
family-owned business, led by President quented our previous store and meeting Nursery's current team members will con- in 1973. Jones purchased the company
tinue on with English Gardens,” Darin from his parents in 1986 and has grown
said. “We're also looking to hire additional and diversified the business.
people to work in the store and landscap- English Gardens Plymouth Nursery is
ing operation.” on a 19-acre site at the corner of Ann
Plymouth Nursery closed on Dec. 30 Arbor Road and Gotfredson Road. The
and will re-open on March 1, as English store features a 12,000-square-foot retail
Gardens Plymouth Nursery. space and 12,000-square-foot enclosed
Jones said he will be retiring after more greenhouse. The outdoor selling space is
than three decades in the business. approximately 9 acres. The store will offer
“It is with mixed emotions that I am a complete range of garden products and
selling Plymouth Nursery & Garden plants for indoor and outdoor living
Center,” Jones says. “I am sad that after 55 spaces. The new store will also offer other
years this wonderful company will no special services, including: Garden
longer be in the hands of my family. Pharmacy, where associates diagnose
However, it is with great joy that I turn the plant troubles and provide solutions; as
reins over to English Gardens. “I am cer- well as a Patio Furniture Design Center
English Gardens shareholders, from left, Kevin Lowman, Debbie Lowman, Rick Vespa, tain that English Gardens will continue to for custom orders and design services,
Jeff Jones (Plymouth Nursery), John Darin, Lynette Walker and Bob Walker. serve the loyal Plymouth Nursery cus- Darin explained.

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