Patients, Families and Staff Now Have An Outside Garden Retreat at St. Francis Regional Medical Center

Shakopee, Minn. 08/24/2007--(Shakopee, Minn., Aug. 24, 2007) — A meditation garden at St. Francis Regional Medical Center began as a small dream planted in the hearts of many community members and employees. “What meant most to me as a board member was to create a place on campus where not only patients, their families and friends could retreat outdoors, but a place where our medical staff could take a break from the frenzied pace of a busy work day,” said Jordan resident, Jon Lee. That dream has become a reality. A beautiful new meditation garden, located between the Emergency Department and Cancer Center on the northwest corner of the campus, is now available for all patients, family members and staff to retreat. The garden offers a warm and welcoming environment—a quiet, peaceful place for reflection. The space includes memorial benches, a cascading water feature, as well as flowering plants, shrubs, and trees.

Benefiting patients, the garden offers an atmosphere of harmony with nature while helping to restore a sense of balance and general well-being. “The meditation garden plays an integral part of St. Francis Regional Medical Center’s commitment to providing a healing environment to promote health and wellness,” says Lori Peterson, RN, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Patient Care at St. Francis. “The garden is a living tribute to the love, compassion and commitment of human beings—a renewal of the human spirit and a sense of calm. We thank the many donors and contributors who have made this project possible. It has been a deliberate process, with many at the table, working hard to ensure that we create many special areas that satisfy and fulfill all of our patients and visitors.”

The garden compliments the meditation room, chapel and staff renewal room within the hospital, all which support St. Francis’ mission to heal the mind, body and spirit. The collaborative efforts and hard work of hospital administration, the Foundation, community members and various civic organizations helped guide the creation of the garden space. “Everyone needs to heal, but we all heal in our own way,” says Jordan-resident Herb Baldwin, the landscape architect who managed the project. “Culture certainly plays a part. We tend to create rituals in life, like meditation, whether we’re dealing with life or with loss or life. It was important for us to partner with the community as the garden was designed.” The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, among others, offered guidance in design and in landscape selection, including plants and trees.

St. Francis Regional Medical Center Meditation Garden Baldwin’s implementation strategy included a complete design and construction team, especially for the garden’s focal point—the cascading waterfall wall. Michael Gulden of Landshapes in Bloomington led the construction and planting of the garden. He coordinated the artistry of Michael Hancock of St. Paul-based Solid Concrete Studio, Inc., who built the waterfall wall based on Baldwin’s designs. Shane Schaaf of Earthscape Stone Masonry & Landscape Design in Minnetrista crafted the accompanying stonework design.

The meditation garden has been in the making for many years, with the initial concept and fundraising beginning in June 2001. The project remained in a concept and the fundraising phase while St. Francis went through its $40 million dollar expansion project in response to the enormous population growth in Scott and Carver counties. With that, the original meditation garden concept was altered to allow for the most accessible and prominent campus location. The new site location also allowed for the creation of several mini gardens while the main meditation garden could be completed.

Various milestones were reached along the way, including a dedication ceremony in August 2004 when the Statue of St. Francis was moved to the front of the hospital to exemplify the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the health care campus. In May 2005, a reception for memorial givers was held to celebrate the placement of memorial benches throughout the campus, which enhance the grounds as the hospital continues to grow and expand. The engraved benches, as well as memorial bricks and trees, are the direct result of gifts generously donated to the St. Francis Foundation. The memorial bricks that currently surround the front entrance tree offer a lasting tribute to individuals.

“This project would not have been possible without the joint efforts of board members, the genius creativity of Herb Baldwin, the hospital and Foundation, the St. Francis Auxiliary, as well as the support of many other generous donors,” says Carley Stuber, Executive Director of the St. Francis Foundation. “We’re delighted with its completion and our ability to expand our healing environment for patients, families and staff.” For more information, contact the St. Francis Foundation at 952-403-2070.

about St. Francis Regional Medical Center

The St. Francis Foundation exists to support St. Francis Regional Medical Center and to enhance the healing experience in the communities we serve. St. Francis, like all vibrant medical centers, depends on the best facilities, technology and programs to attract and retain the finest physicians. The St. Francis Foundation guides philanthropic efforts which address immediate, intermediate and long-term needs of patients, their families and communities served by St. Francis. St. Francis Regional Medical Center is jointly owned and sponsored by the Benedictine Health System, Allina Hospitals & Clinics, and Park Nicollet Health Services. This unique structure combines the caring and compassion of a community hospital with the modern medical technology, specialties, and services found in the metro area. St. Francis provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient and emergency care services on a collaborative medical campus with more than 30 other clinics and providers.

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