SEADS Garden Center opens for season on Earth Day: 'What better place to be?'

Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
Updated ·1 min read

Apr. 23—The sun shone, a bird worked on building a nest, plants bloomed and a cool breeze filled the air Monday as SEADS Garden Center officially opened for the 2024 season on Earth Day.

The Spring Fling event marked the beginning of SEADS' fifth year of selling flowers, plants and gardening merchandise in Westmont.

"It's the day to give back to nature," SEADS co-founder Vince Lovenduski said at SEADS, 32 Bucknell Ave. "What better place to be on Earth Day than in a garden center, greenhouses?"

The nonprofit provides job opportunities for adults with disabilities; SEADS stands for "Sustainable Employment for Adults with Disabilities."

They learn how to grow plants, handle sales and maintain the grounds, along with the basics of employment, such as following a schedule and understanding how to interact with customers and co-workers in a professional manner.

"Our intention is just to help whoever we can," Lovenduski said. "It's tough. Listening to parents, they want their kid to have a job. The physical aspect is really good — exercise, getting out in the sun. But the bigger thing is really mental. It's being part of something — having pride, self-esteem, getting away from that TV and doing something."

One of the employees, Edward Resutek, said the experience is "very rewarding."

"I like this place a lot," said Resutek, who is studying in Penn State Extension's master gardener program.

"For one thing, I really like plants. It's very relaxing. It's therapeutic. It's an escape from the things that I've got going on at home. I come here and this is like a sanctuary to me."

SEADS' Spring Fling will last the rest of the week and include customer appreciation gifts as supplies last.