Wabasha man shares flowers, smiles with St. Elizabeth’s patients and residents

Wabasha man shares flowers, smiles with St. Elizabeth's patients and residents

Vern Anderson is known around the community for the stunning flower gardens and memorials he keeps on his property on the prairie between Wabasha and Kellogg. People from allaround visit Anderson Gardens to see the thousands of dahlias, gladiolas, roses and other varieties that he so masterfully grows each spring and tends to each summer.

But for Vern, the work of raising a garden of flowers isn't something he does for himself. His intention is to share the results of his labor, and for 10 years, Gundersen St. Elizabeth's Hospital and Gundersen St. Elizabeth's Care Center have been grateful recipients.

For the past decade, beginning in spring with the early varieties, Vern carefully curates dozens of vases of flowers to bring to St. Elizabeth's, according to guest and volunteer services coordinator Rhonda Whalen. Upon arrival, they're divided between the hospital and care center campuses.

Many times, an arrangement is available for each long-term care resident, with the rest going to patient rooms at the hospital. If there are more, those are placed in the dining room for assisted living residents.

"This year, we've had enough flowers to share with all our residents and patients," Whalen says.

The flowers continue to arrive throughout the summer until the blooms are done, but he doesn't stop there. In the offseason, Vern donates Easter lilies for Easter and poinsettias at Christmas. He and a volunteer also created beautiful holiday table decorations that are used year after year.

Vern brings joy to people who need it. He's received many complimentary notes from patients over the years who've been surprised and delighted by his bouquets, including a woman who'd been in the hospital for five weeks.

"She said, 'Every week I had a fresh flower from you, and I just want you to know how much that impacted me,'" Whalen says.

But if fully stocking a hospital and care center isn't enough, Vern also drops off flowers to businesses around Wabasha.

"He's very community oriented, and a man of strong faith," Whalen says. "There are tags on his vases, and one side reads, 'Compliments of Anderson Gardens,' and on the other side, it reads 'God loves you.' It touches a lot of people in a good way."

St. Elizabeth's community relations coordinator Mandy Edelbach remembers something Vern once told her.

"I can just leave these in my garden and enjoy them myself, or I can cut them and share them with others, and if I make one person smile, it's worth the work."