Source: Sun Herald
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/15156187.htm
On July 30, 2006 the Sun Herald reported, "After Hurricane Katrina, Martha Boyce had a horticultural vision: to plant a therapeutic public garden that would help South Mississippians heal in the aftermath of the storm. With shovels in hand, members of the Tzu Chi Foundation of Atlanta planted the first Mississippi Renaissance Garden tree Saturday at the Margaret Sherry Library Playground on Popp's Ferry Road. Tzu Chi, an international Buddhist relief organization, brought 16 adults and nine teenagers to put a 10-year-old Live oak in the soil. The group has made eight trips to South Mississippi since the Aug. 29 storm and has donated nearly $1.2 million to the Coast's recovery effort. After seeing the Mississippi renaissance Garden's Web site, Tzu Chi contacted Boyce, the group's coordinator, on Monday and wanted to come help right away. 'Whenever anyone has a disaster, we are there,' said Lou Kuo, director of the Atlanta chapter of Tzu Chi, adding the group did recovery work after the Indonesia tsunami. 'We care about the Katrina aftermath. We are taught great love and that life isn't permanent. We are taught when giving and serving we must have appreciation because the two keys of Buddhism are wisdom and mercy.'"