Winston-Salem volunteers spread holiday cheer with wreath-making workshops

Inside of Crystal Towers, an apartment building for the elderly and disabled, one December afternoon, residents took part in an annual holiday tradition — making wreaths. 

A handful of volunteers helped them pick out their materials, which included fresh pine and fir from local tree lots and donated ribbon and ornaments. 

Ola Mae Saunders was the first to complete her wreath, which called for a celebration. Everyone in the room applauded and admired her creation. 

Saunders has been attending these workshops for 14 years. For her, and other residents, it’s more than a craft. It’s a sensory experience. She says the smell of the evergreens takes her back to her childhood. 

“I love pine," Saunders said. "I was born around pine needles, and so I got to like the smell to them.”

Others say it’s relaxing, winding the greens around a frame. It’s also a chance to socialize. 

Lea Nading, who has been hosting wreath-making workshops and other plant-related activities in Winston-Salem since the 90s, calls this horticultural therapy. 

“It's kind of like pet therapy, but it's using plants," Nading said. "And the people I work with, they can't have a pet, but they can have a plant in their apartment to nurture.”

She provides that to them all year long with plant giveaways and flower and vegetable gardens outside. Sometimes she even brings in chrysalises and releases butterflies with residents. And of course, every December, they make wreaths. Her motivation for all of this is pretty simple. 

“Just to see the joy on people’s faces. I just, I couldn’t not do it," Nading said. "It’s just a big part of Christmas for me. It is Christmas for me.” 

This month, Nading visited three senior living facilities around town, as well as City with Dwellings, a shelter serving people experiencing homelessness.  

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.