EIRMC unveils new healing garden to honor patients and families
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IDAHO FALLS — On a somber and rainy Thursday morning, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center unveiled its new healing garden, providing patients, families, and employees with a space to reflect and recover.
Located to the left of the main entrance at EIRMC, the healing garden was funded in part by Insure-it-All and by the EIRMC Auxiliary.
Hospital spokeswoman Coleen Niemann told EastIdahoNews.com that it also serves as a way for the hospital to honor its patients and remember those they’ve lost, including employees.
“The healing garden was really meant to bring a little peace and comfort, a calm place and space for people to come and renew themselves a little bit,” Niemann said.
Inside the garden, there are walking paths and seating areas for community members to sit and take a moment for themselves. There are also plaques in honor of former employees who have passed away over the years. Niemann said the plaques were spread out through EIRMC’s campus, and it was a way to bring them all into one location.
Tyler Schwendiman, owner of Insure-It-All, said that while many of his clients have had family members or themselves admitted to EIRMC, the company was looking for ways to give back to the hospital for its community service.
“We’re excited to be a part of this… to be part of it, and that it’s going to be able to be something that they’ll enjoy for years to come,” Schwendiman said.
An interesting part of the garden is a series of handmade bells by local artisan Lori Piccolo of Pocatello, who donated the pieces of art to this project.
While not in attendance, Niemann said Piccolo made the bells in honor of her late mother. Niemann said with the inspiration and motivation to make the bells, Piccolo told her it was a perfect tie-in for the garden.
“It’s a very reverent place, because we believe it to be a place to honor our patients and those we’ve lost,” Niemann said.