A garden was planted for students with special needs at the Fox Lane Middle School. Gardens provide opportunities for health, wellness and calm—critical for developmentally challenged kids, said Paulina Ram, an occupational therapist with the Bedford Central School District’s SAIL program, or Structured Alternatives to Independent Learning. “As an OT, I’m always looking for ways to promote optimum functioning, and gardens can help students achieve a balance between a state of low arousal and hyperactivity,” she said. Ram is part of a team that “planted the seed,” so to speak, for a new organic school garden at the Fox Lane Middle School that will serve the eight students in the SAIL program who have studied together since kindergarten. A groundbreaking will took place Thursday to celebrate the newly built raised beds outside of the middle school science classrooms. Ram’s husband, Ronnie Ram, president of Inspiria Media Corporation, reached out to one if his clients, Jason Gordon of Millwood-based Total Turf Inc., who immediately agreed to build the beds and plan out the garden as a community donation. “We are always looking for ways to give back, and this was a perfect fit,” said Gordon. “I’d like to stay involved and help them plan and grow it and see where it goes.” by Bedford Katonah Patch editor, Lisa Buchman (to read the entire article go to http://bedford.patch.com/articles/fox-lane-middle-school-garden-to-serve-students-with-special-needs)

“I wanted to thank everyone involved in this project, especially, Paula, Ronnie, Peter and Ann Marie. This was a great project for Total Turf and what better way to give back to the community. We have been able to give something to the middle school that will remember the first graduating sail class. In addition, we can help in the future. I want to be involved this fall and look forward to working with Paula and Peter. We have been doing work in the local area for 10 years and it is always a special moment when we can give something back to the community like this”. Jason Gordon, Total Turf Inc.