Photo by Eric Ayers Jessica Sedilko, Pam Fleming, Regina Boone and Laura Okel, from left, use freshly cut pine clippings to give a vibrant pop to a handcrafted holiday decoration inside the Grow Greenhouse.

WHEELING — The Grow Greenhouse at Russell Nesbitt Services Inc. WATCH center on Main Street in Wheeling will officially kick off its holiday season this weekend, offering a variety of decor and gifts for the season.

The Grow Greenhouse’s grand opening for the holidays is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. The greenhouse is located right behind the WATCH center at 26 Main St. in Center Wheeling.

On Friday, the crew was hard at work assembling handcrafted porch pots and other holiday decorations adorned with freshly cut pine and various Christmas-style trimmings.

“We do wreaths, we do pine roping, we have poinsettias, we make grave blankets and specialty Christmas items or gifts,” said Andrea Kleeh, supervisor at the GROW Greenhouse.

Russell Nesbitt Services Inc., with its main office located in the Fulton neighborhood of Wheeling, provides life opportunities for people with disabilities. The WATCH (Wheeling Area Training Center for the Handicapped) facility provides a range of vocational training and work opportunities for adults with special needs.

The Grow Greenhouse operates like any other greenhouse facility, but proceeds from the retail sales all go back into the non-profit organization.

“We are a true greenhouse, with a seasonal selection,” Kleeh said.

Through the year, the Grow Greenhouse has a variety of garden vegetables, herbs and flowers — with some plants grown from seed, while others are ordered, and the crew cares for them after their arrival. The bounty inside the greenhouse changes with the season from winter to spring, summer and fall. But this weekend, the greenhouse is deck-the-halls brimming with holiday spirit, complete with rows upon rows of poinsettias and filled with the aroma of freshly cut pine.

“We have a variety of holiday themed items,” said Lynn Dick, WATCH manager, noting that the clients at WATCH truly enjoy working in the greenhouse. “They love coming out here.”

Dick said the WATCH program also has a number of other vocational training activities inside the main building. Outside of WATCH, Russell Nesbitt Services also coordinates other workforce related programs for adults with disabilities. Support employment programs include things like janitorial contracts at local agencies. The clients clean facilities like the Federal Building and the Department of Health and Human Resources facility, she said.

“Here, it’s more of a vocational program,” Kleeh noted. “They do life skill training and pre-vocational training on the floor in the WATCH center. We have two retail vocational programs — the greenhouse and WatchDog — shredding of professional documents.”

Supported employment options also include packaging and line assembly, bulk mailing and other meaningful jobs.

At the WATCH center, a total of 21 adults from all over the greater Wheeling area are currently participating in the program. The clients often start the day learning life skills inside the main building, then move out to the greenhouse to apply those skills in a real, hands-on work environment.

“They’re working on socializing and interaction, and learning how to count change and money,” Kleeh said. “They work on that, and then I try to build upon it out here. We love the community coming in, because we’re trying to get our clients to be more interactive. So when they go out into the public and get a job, they’re able to do that.”

Clients learn everything from dexterity, how to follow directions, keeping the work environment clean and safe, and putting a focus on good customer service.

The Grow Greenhouse is not affiliated with the local organization Grow Ohio Valley, but is often confused to be because of the similarity in name, Kleeh noted. Regardless, the crew at Grow Greenhouse has a green thumb and a knack for making quality holiday décor to help spruce up anyone’s home for the season.

“What we offer is perfect for decorating and for gift giving,” Kleeh said.

The Grow Greenhouse is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The greenhouse is closed on Sundays. Hours may be extended in the future, so check social media for the latest updates.

Customers can also follow Russell Nesbitt Services on Facebook and send messages there, or call the WATCH center at 304-232-1750 for more information.

For additional information on Russell Nesbitt Services and the WATCH center’s programs, visit www.rns-watch.org.