LADD’s New Greenhouse Opens Doors for Those They Serve

The Laclede Association for Developmental Disabilities celebrated a new addition Thursday, cutting the ribbon on a 30-by-30 greenhouse that will offer the individuals they serve a place to learn, grow and create new connections with the Lebanon community.

The greenhouse is more than a place to grow plants. LADD plans to use it to teach basic gardening and life skills while giving participants the opportunity to take an active role in a project of their own.

“We’ve had this big idea that we want to integrate some gardening and some life skills for our people,” Nikki shared during the ribbon cutting.

The enclosed greenhouse will also allow those activities to continue throughout more of the year, giving participants a covered environment during colder weather.

Growing Something a Little Different

LADD isn’t planning an ordinary flower garden.

The organization hopes to grow rare and exotic flowers inside the greenhouse, creating something unique that will also bring members of the community to LADD.

The flowers will be offered on a donation basis, with money raised going directly back toward community activities for the individuals LADD serves.

“Everything that we are going to be planting flower-wise, we have decided to go in the rare, exotic type area to draw more people in,” Nikki explained.

That interaction is an important part of the project. The greenhouse gives participants an opportunity to develop practical skills, but it also creates another way for them to meet people and become more involved in the community around them.

Funds raised through the flowers will help provide opportunities for outings and activities outside LADD.

“Making sure that they can go and do things like everybody else does on a daily basis,” Nikki said. “For them to have more fulfilling lives every day is just such a wonderful blessing to be a part of.”

A Mission Built Around Inclusion

The greenhouse fits directly into LADD’s larger mission in Lebanon.

LADD works to support people with developmental disabilities while promoting greater independence, opportunities and inclusion within the community.

Thursday’s ribbon cutting brought those ideas to life in a very tangible way.

There was plenty of laughter as everyone gathered around the ribbon, participants were called forward for the photo and several helped make the ceremonial cut.

The greenhouse itself was constructed by Sunny Acres LLC of Versailles, according to Nikki.

For the people who will be planting, learning and working inside it, however, Thursday was only the beginning.

“This is really fun and exciting for everyone here,” Nikki said. “Our people especially, just to see exactly how this can benefit them and get them more community inclusion.”

More Than a Greenhouse

What started as an idea to teach gardening and life skills now gives LADD another way to connect the people they serve with the larger Lebanon community.

Soon, the greenhouse will begin filling with plants and flowers. Those flowers will help fund activities, but the work happening inside the greenhouse will also provide hands-on experience, new skills and another opportunity for LADD participants to be involved in something they can watch grow from the ground up.

And we’ll be learning more about the greenhouse and the work happening at LADD tomorrow morning. Nikki will join Good Morning Lebanon at 9 a.m. Friday to talk about LADD, the new greenhouse and what it will mean for the people they serve.

Be sure to tune in to Good Morning Lebanon and stay connected with Lebanon Now as we continue sharing the people, projects and organizations making a difference in our community.