Green-Fingered George Hosts ADIMI Fun Day in His Garden!
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Lush Life: George Lumby, the green-fingered guru and dedicated Rotary Club Mijas member, threw open the gates to his fabulous vegetable patch, offering a day of sunshine, fresh air, and plenty of produce for the delighted guests of ADIMI (Asociación para personas con Discapacidad Intelectual de Mijas). George, a Liverpudlian resident who’s called Spain home for half a century, is as passionate about planting as he is about people. Inspired by his uncles back in Liverpool, who famously opened their gardens to the public, George’s mission is to share the joys of gardening with others.
Helping Hands: ADIMI’s amazing Director, Laura Villa, is always on the lookout for new ways to enrich the lives of those her association supports. ADIMI, which provides services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Mijas, is a key partner for Rotary Club Mijas. And when Laura and Katja Range, the Club’s unstoppable President, got to chatting, they cooked up the idea of some open-air activities for ADIMI’s users. Just what the doctor ordered for a change of scene and some good old-fashioned nature therapy.
Enter George, the gardening wizard, who jumped at the chance to host. He’s well-known at the Rotary meetings for bringing along fresh veggies to support the Club’s fundraising, so it wasn’t long before his patch of green became the perfect setting for a fun-filled day. Turns out, ADIMI was also working on their own veggie garden project. Could the timing have been any better?
Veggie Wonderland: And what a feast for the senses it was! The ADIMI gang got a grand tour of George’s little slice of Eden, marvelling at the abundance of aubergines, carrots, cabbages, beetroot, artichokes, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, and herbs. You name it, George grows it. He even gave them a lesson in the fine art of planting and caring for the crops. Each one is in a different stage of growth, from just a shoot to ripe for the picking.
Loofah Laughs: The day’s biggest hit? The mysterious luffa plants! George revealed the curious process of turning these fruits into the loofah sponges we all use. And while the guests were charmed by the zesty limes and grapefruit on offer, it was those loofahs they clutched like golden souvenirs. Ideal for a scrub-down in the bath or a good go at the dishes.
Feast Fit for Kings and Queens: Once the gang had soaked up all the garden’s secrets, George led them to his special garden section, where his secret weapon, wife Hortensia, was waiting. She’d whipped up a Spanish feast: boquerones, jamón serrano, sausages, and burgers, all served with refreshing soft drinks and sweet treats. Even after the crowd devoured dish after dish, Hortensia kept the goodies coming, earning a round of applause when she finally stepped out to say hello!
A Farewell to Remember: As the afternoon drew to a close, nobody wanted to leave. Photos were snapped, hugs were exchanged, and the smiles said it all. Even the Rotary members in attendance couldn’t help but feel chuffed. And in a fitting finale, the Rotary Club agreed to lend a hand in growing ADIMI’s own vegetable patch, sowing the seeds for more outdoor adventures to come.
For more information on Rotary Mijas, head over to www.rotarymijasinternational.org, and for ADIMI, visit www.adimi.es.
In other news; read about lucky local doggy Honey and her amazing story. Her owners had to climb into a mystery property Mission Impossible style to get her back after she got lost.
Find more interesting news stories in English from around Spain.
