Kayleigh Carson
SEYMOUR — A town teenager is embarking on a mission to help improve residents’ mental health and well-being.
Kayleigh Carson, 17, recently was granted approval to refurbish the Seymour Land Trust’s deteriorating gazebo on Day Street, and create a meditation/healing labyrinth and garden there.
Kayleigh is creating the garden and labyrinth as part of her Gold Star Award project for the Girl Scouts (on par with an Eagle Scout project for Boy Scouts, which is the highest rank attained in scouting). She first joined Girl Scouts when she was five years old. She’s a senior member with Shelton Service Unit Troop 60544.
“The Gold Award is important to me because I have been a part of Girl Scouts for so long and it would show that all my hard work and dedication over the years has paid,” Kayleigh said.
Creating a calming oasis at the Land Trust property is something Kayleigh wanted to do ever since she visited a similar labyrinth/healing garden while visiting Seattle, Washington in 2016.
Kayleigh learned through her mom that Land Trust President Alex Danka was trying to come up with ways to revitalize the gazebo and grounds. According to Danka, the small park isn’t used for much at the moment. Other than a bocce court and some horseshoe pits there, and once home to an old-schoolhouse style building, Danka said the park can definitely use a breath of fresh air.
That’s where Kayleigh comes in. She has enlisted the help of JoElle Anderson from the downtown flower shop, Dragonflies, and Rob Stevenson from Contractor Nation, along with her troop members and family, to complete the project. She’s funding the project through a grant from the Valley Community Foundation, some troop funds and fundraising through the Land Trust.
“My main focus on this project is mental health,” Kayleigh said. “I want people to have a place that they can go to de-stress and relax. Refurbishing the gazebo and adding in the labyrinth will give them a place to do that. After doing some research for things that help with mental health, I came across the labyrinth. I had walked one in Seattle back in 2016 so I had an idea of what it was and knew that’s what I wanted to do. I want people to feel more relaxed and less stressed after walking through the labyrinth and garden.”
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO
Walking the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres) in Chartres, France.
Kayleigh plans to create the labyrinth path (16 feet on each side of the gazebo) out of gravel and outline it with edging. The garden will be divided into three parts, and include perennial favorites like lavender, lemon thyme and hydrangeas. She’s also going to replace the gazebo’s wooden roof, add new pillars and apply a fresh coat of stain. Kayleigh plans to start working on the project soon, with a target date for completion in late August or early September.
First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis commended Kayleigh on her project.
“I think the meditation/healing garden is a wonderful idea,” Drugonis said. “Seymour has been fortunate and has greatly benefited from our Eagle Scout and Golden Award projects. It is nice to see young adults wanting to do something for the community they grew up in.”
Drugonis said the small park was created years ago for veterans and residents to use, where they could sit, chat and reminisce.
Danka agreed.
“It’s a great project and it’s nice to see kids that are still interested in their community and willing and able to help,” Danka said. “The Land Trust has been very fortunate to have a lot of Eagle Scout projects and Girl Scout projects over the years. I’m very excited to see the completion of the project. This project will be better for people who just really want to hang out and relax without a lot of disturbances from other things going on in other parks.”
