What would happen if you couldn’t enjoy Riverwood in person?

You may have noticed a special vibrance returns to Riverwood every spring. You can hear more birds singing, see more buds in the trees, and smell the freshness of spring blooms in the air.

But have you ever wondered what would happen if you weren’t able to get outside to enjoy all the sounds, sights, and scents of nature at Riverwood? 

That’s the reality for some members of our community who need specialized care, who can’t make a trip to Riverwood. Yet, many of these individuals still need connections to nature just as much, if not more, than anyone else.

Responding to this need, and through the support of our community of caring donors, we’ve expanded delivery of our horticultural therapy programs to include locations beyond Riverwood’s borders – like Bough Beeches Place, a retirement residence that offers care to individuals in need of daily cognitive and physical support.

“The Riverwood Conservancy’s Therapeutic Garden Coordinator, Kerry, has been amazing with the residents here,” Wioletta Buzuk, Recreation Coordinator at Bough Beeches Place, recently told us. 

“Kerry implements programs according to the residents’ needs and what they enjoy the most. All the programs are very hands on and that’s what the residents like! There’s always something that a resident can do, no matter what their challenge might be. From making pesto, to making bird feeders, to planting herbs, to learning about local wildlife, the residents love the programs!”

I’d like to invite you to provide your valued support, which helps make our vital, nature-based programming happen not only here at Riverwood but beyond – directly impacting those in our community who wouldn’t be able to connect to nature without your support. Your gift today will ensure our therapeutic horticulture programs can reach the people who benefit so much from them, including the individuals who cannot make it to Riverwood in-person.

Residents at Bough Beeches Place take part in our therapeutic horticulture programs

Last year, we delivered 161 therapeutic horticulture programs to individuals and groups with special needs, both at Riverwood and out in the community. That’s a jump of almost 20% compared to the number of programs we delivered in 2022! That growth not only shows the increased need in our community, but also the importance of our donors, who make those programs possible.

It is thrilling to hear about the effect that providing hands-on connections to nature has had on residents at Bough Beeches Place as well as many of our other community partners.

“The Riverwood Conservancy’s therapeutic horticulture programs helped our residents build self-confidence, increased their feelings of empowerment, and strengthened their sense of belonging to the community. The activities offered sensory stimulation, which helps develop and improve motor skills, and reconnecting with the outdoors helps decrease depression and reduce stress, while increasing quality of life,” Wioletta said.

When I heard Wioletta’s words, I was reminded of all the mental and physical benefits that Riverwood’s natural spaces provide – perhaps you’ve felt those benefits first-hand on your visits here. Now imagine that kind of wellness you feel from spending time in nature, but from the comfort of your home. That’s the sort of feeling our off-site therapeutic horticulture programs instill in program participants.

“At the end of the programs, the residents feel great! They walk away with smiles on their faces and a sense of accomplishment,” added Wioletta.

Your gift today will shine through in the impact we’re able to make in our programs, both at Riverwood and beyond.

I hope that you’ll be able to stop into Riverwood this spring and summer to feel your own sense of rejuvenation. Thank you for staying connected with our natural spaces, and for helping us rise to the needs of our community.

Sincerely,

Sara Wilbur-Collins, CFRE
Executive Director
The Riverwood Conservancy