Linda Petrovich - The Village Common of RI

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Village Voices is the showcase of creativity by the members and volunteers of The Village Common of Rhode Island. We welcome submissions in all media: 2- and 3-dimensional art, creative writing, transformative ideas, crafting, and art collections. As important is the personal stories that accompany each submission.

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Linda Petrovich

Photo by Jose Mejia

Linda Petrovich is originally from Chicago. She grew up with a mom who was awarded the “Key To Chicago” for her extraordinary work with children. Her mom instilled in her kids the idea that they can always finds ways to make things better for others.

The Petal Possy

Life Compassion Floral Designers

I may be older than dirt and considered "low income" now, but I still want to help people. After talking with some friends, we decided to make flower arrangements for lonely/sick seniors in nursing homes and hospitals to bring them some sunshine and for them to know that people care about them. We call our effort the Petal Possy. We hosted a workshop for folks in our building and together made some of the most gorgeous flower arrangements! Low-income seniors like me are giving up their time and even some of their money so that we can continue this project.

Our community room was once a place where the nuns who lived in this building years ago would go to pray. The windows are so beautiful it's such a pleasure to be in there working.

Cristalle Amarante selects flowers for her arrangement.

Christine Jackson inserts a final addition into her arrangement.

Behind her, Mary Murphy scrutinizes her completed bouquet.

Studies show that volunteering benefits both the person volunteering and those who are on the receiving end of the volunteer work. Some of the comments from the seniors that created these arrangements during the last workshop included "Oh, this is so much fun. Can we do this every month?” Another was, “What a joyful way to spend an afternoon knowing that we're doing something nice for somebody else! This is a great idea!"

Judy Dill finesses a fern leaf.

I didn't expect such enthusiasm and I now have several senior volunteers. We are using discount flowers and inexpensive containers but what we need to continue our workshops is funding so we can purchase supplies for the flower arrangements, and a fiscal sponsor to manage the donations for us. We welcome your help to make a lonely senior feel they are loved!

All of the Petal Possy volunteers are from our building, once called St. Maria’s Home, is now The Governor. The grounds on the side of our building are a place that the residents are allowed to plant flowers and spices. Occasionally they have jazz bands and serve food for the residents. Some of the residents’ families may hold a pizza party or other event outside. It's really a lovely place for low-income seniors. I feel so fortunate to be one of the residents here.

Please check out our arrangements as they are absolutely gorgeous! I can't wait to see the faces as people receive these as gifts.

St. Maria’s Home for Working Girls, from the Providence Preservation Society’s

“Guide to Providence Architecture.”

At the time of its 1994 Most Endangered Properties [MEP] listing, St. Maria’s Home for Working Girls had suffered more than twenty years of neglect and disrepair. Originally built by Joseph Banigan for the Catholic Church in 1893, the once beautiful building had become a veritable eyesore on Governor Street.

Despite its poor condition, 3½ -story, hipped-roof, H-shaped building maintained much of its original charm. Rounded bay windows and a columned front porch adorned the brick structure and incorporated architectural details of the Queen Anne, French late Gothic and Colonial Revival styles. Designed by architects Martin & Hall, the building was constructed on the site of Governor Fenner’s eighteenth century home.

SAVED: Following its MEP listing, [a] collaboration produced a design which created fifty-seven units of elderly housing while remaining sympathetic to the building’s historic character. The final results restored the former chapel, including its stained glass, which now serves as the community room.