Volunteers Tzu Chi West Toronto Office Cultivating Brueckner Rhododendron Garden

If you saw a hundred or so people hard at work at Brueckner Rhododendron Garden in the middle of a holiday long weekend, the last long weekend of the summer at that, then you were witness to some of the volunteer work of Tzu Chi West Toronto Office, a non-profit charity that tends the Garden about three times each year.

Their generous contribution of time and effort makes a huge impact on the overall appearance of the Garden beds, and is testament yet again that 'many hands make light work'.

Here are some photos of the Tzu Chi volunteers at the Garden in September.

Volunteers from Tzu Chi West Toronto Office

For several years now, the Tzu Chi West Toronto Office volunteers have come to tend the Brueckner Rhododendron Garden as part of the City of Mississauga’s Litternot Program. Usually some 50-70 volunteers, many of them families, show their love for the earth by weeding and cleaning the Garden, while enjoying the beautiful scenery and peaceful surroundings.

Tzu Chi Volunteer Gardeners Cultivating Rhododendron Beds at BRG

At present, the West Toronto Office has over 160 active volunteers, and about 600 supporters. Tzu Chi volunteers serve their community in many ways, including helping at senior homes, food banks, and with the City of Mississauga’s LitterNot program.

Tzu Chi Volunteers Clean Lake Ontario Beach Brueckner Rhododendron Garden

Brueckner Rhododendron Garden is sited on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Storms, winds and waves, as well as thoughtless visitors, can toss lots of litter onto the shoreline of the Garden. Several times a year, garden staff and volunteers such as Tzu Chi West Toronto Office make a concerted effort to clean up this beach.

Tzu Chi Volunteers at BRG Mississauga Ontario  

On the Labour Day weekend alone, 120 Tzu Chi volunteers weeded 9 flower beds and cleaned up the lake shore in two hours. Because this larger than usual number of volunteers were able to attend, much was accomplished. Over the next week or so, other visitors to the Garden commented on how lovely and well-tended the garden beds were.

Tzu Chi West Toronto Office Group Photo at Brueckner Rhododendron Garden

After a few hours' work, it was time for lunch, a bit of socializing and a group photo.

"We had a very good time [at the BRG], said Adrienne, Tzu Chi Volunteer Coordinator. "Work and play is the greatest combination of life, isn't it?"

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Update August 28 2011 Tzu Chi Day at the Garden.

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Tzu Chi’s 'Four Missions, Eight Footprints' are Charity, Medicine, Education, Humanities, International Relief, Bone-Marrow Donation, Community Volunteerism, and Environmental Protection. Through volunteer activities, Tzu Chi members blend Buddhist teachings into their daily lives.

To learn more about Tzu Chi Foundation Canada, see http://en.tzuchi.ca/canada/home.nsf/home/index

For Tzu Chi West Toronto, see http://academy.tzuchi.ca/canada/academy/mississauga/home.nsf/

For Tzu Chi Global, see http://www.tzuchi.org.tw

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Thank you, Tzu Chi volunteers!

On behalf of Gardens staff, volunteers and visitors, a great big THANK YOU! to Tzu Chi. Your work is much appreciated !


If your group would like to help cultivate Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, call 311 from anywhere in the cities of Brampton and Mississauga and let us know. Or post a comment and we will get back to you. Students looking to fulfill community service hours should also call for information.

Much work (compost, mulch, weeding, planting, etc) is scheduled to be done this fall to get the Garden ready for winter.