On Tuesday, March 26 @ 7 pm, Lynne Gartenhaus from C4H, Companions for Heroes, will give a presentation on how soldiers and first responders can heal through the unconditional love of dogs and other pets.  C4H was founded by a soldier, Dave Sharpe, deployed in 2001 with the U.S. Air Force Security Forces. After a life threatening confrontation with a Taliban sympathizer plus additional incidents, his ordeal with PTSD began. His violence, anxiety and other symptoms went undiagnosed for eight years. When he was introduced to a rescued pit bull puppy, his healing began. Time Magazine featured a story about C4H.

C4H’s purpose is not only to help soldiers, but police officers, firefighters, and other first responders recover from the effects of PTSD and similar disorders.  Sharpe’s hope is that C4H will aid them in their recovery while at the same time saving our nation’s shelter and rescued animals. Join us at the Elkton Central Library to hear more and to meet a service dog in training.

One of my greatest pleasures is wandering through my garden after work, marking the day-to- day changes in nature.  I look for new blooms and “dead head” old ones, pull a pesky weed here and there, look for unexpected surprises, and generally check the status of my little kingdom. I am a flower gardener, but I imagine vegetables gardeners do the same thing.

If you are unsure of how to get started gardening or are an old hand at it but looking for new ideas, CCPL has a series of gardening programs this spring you might find helpful.  From planning and sowing a garden to canning the fruits and vegetables of your labor, we have programs to inspire your green thumb.  We are especially excited about our first ever plant swap on May 8. Gardeners are known for sharing their bounty and here is an opportunity to swap vegetable and flower plants with other gardeners.

What will you be planting this spring?