By Emily Enfinger | The Selma Times-Journal

Just over a dozen residents congregated in the dining hall of Lighthouse Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center for a fun activity Monday.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program partnered with the Master Gardeners, National Council of Negro Women, American Association of Retired Persons and Selma High School volunteers to plant flowers with residents to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

“It’s a service project,” said Evelyn Cox, organizer of the flower planting. “Dr. King is the epitome of service. That’s what he taught us and that’s what we should be all about, not looking for something for ourselves but giving to others to make their life better.”

The flower planting began at 2 p.m. and lasted almost an hour.

Cox said that she is involved with multiple service groups and invited her friends from these various groups as well as two Selma High School volunteers, Kiyani Day and Jordan Williams, to help her.

“It was a pleasure coming out to help the residents of the Lighthouse on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday,” said Tarser Slay, NCNW member. “It was a joy.”

Ruth Shaw, member of Master Gardeners, said she is glad she was able to come out to help. She said with her busy schedule it is often difficult for her to volunteer but since she had the day off because of the holiday, she had time to come out to help.

Cox said the flower chosen will be a good pick for Lighthouse residents. She said the flowers have a nice aroma but, more importantly, easy to grow.

“It’s easy to grow, something you could grow indoors, outdoors,” Cox said.

Residents were given a green transparent Solo Cup, each with one bulb.

Shaw said the flower will produce multiple blooms per stock, usually about three or four blooms.

She said since the bulbs are already starting to sprout, it should only take about a month for them to completely develop.

Butterfly clips and glittery stickers shaped as flowers and letters were provided so residents could personalize their flower cups.

Cox said she believes the flower planting was a success.

“I think they enjoyed it. I think it was a good turnout,” Cox said.