CHICOPEE – Kelly Reid moved to Chicopee in early 2020 with hopes of community get-togethers and opportunities for new friends. COVID-19 quickly put a wrench in her plans. When the pandemic hit and everyone went into isolation, Reid began gardening at her home to stay busy. After a year of planting seeds on her own, she had an abundant garden and vegetables to share. This sparked the creation of the Chicopee Garden and Flower Club.

Reid posted on the Chicopee Area Community Forum asking if residents would be interested in the club. The purpose would be to exchange gardening tips, advice, trade seeds, trade vegetables and, once COVID-19 calms down, visit other people’s gardens to admire and help if needed. Many people responded positively, so Reid began the club.

“The point of the group is to get community people that enjoy gardens and flowers together,” she said.

With the group still being new, Reid said there are only about a few dozen members. She said she is hoping more will join and in late spring to early summer the gardening will begin. According to Reid, anyone is able to join the group on Facebook and no prior gardening experience is needed. Members of the group have already begun introducing themselves, discussing ideas and talking about seeds to exchange.

Reid said she is most excited about the sense of community this group will bring her.

“I’m ex-military, so, for me, community has always been important and that was something I was really excited about. I wanted to be able to do neighborhood cook-outs and be able to invite anybody in the area over and, you know, obviously that was not possible last year. So I’m hoping things like that will be able to happen more this year,” she said.

Those interested in learning more or joining the Chicopee Garden and Flower Club can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/219246753316397/. It is a closed group, but Reid said once someone requests to join they will be approved.

For someone who has never gardened before or might not think to join the group, Reid encouraged them to give it a try.

“I think gardening is just such a great skill to have and to learn, even just the basic things. You can build your own herb garden inside your house, it’s also very therapeutic being able to work with your hands and being out in the sunlight and then, again, just meeting people within your community,” she said.