APRIL TLC SURVIVORSHIP SESSION: Nature Therapy!
I suspect we all know, intuitively, that spending time outdoors can improve overall health and wellness for body, mind, and spirit. Study after study supports this.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/wellness-benefits-great-outdoors
Join us on Tuesday, April 18th for our TLC Survivorship Session during which we will discuss Nature Therapy and its many benefits, especially those that we experience through “Survive, Thrive & Be Fit at the Christopher Farm & Gardens.”
Nature therapy (also known as ecotherapy, green care, or horticulture therapy) is simply the practice of being in nature to grow and heal. It occurs on a continuum from casual and relaxed approaches like home gardening, walking through a field of flowers, or bird watching to more structured activities involving a therapist or trained leader guiding specific exercises and activities to address specific issues.
Our “Survive, Thrive & Be Fit at the Christopher Farm & Gardens” visits fall on the more casual side of this spectrum, but that certainly doesn’t make them any less impactful. Thanks to the CF&G, who have been incredibly gracious to us over the past six years, we are planning to expand these visits and include some purposeful activities through which we can experience some nature therapy while learning from the knowledgeable CF&G staff and helping them with their mission in these mutually beneficial opportunities!
In addition to the many relaxing, fun, enjoyable, and entertaining visits to the CF&G we are offering a variety of purposeful workdays and projects this year as a way to give back to CF&G while also protecting (and learning to protect) our environment and Mother Earth.
SPRING - Bird House Management (mapping locations, cleaning, building, maintaining).
Previously, we had built and donated several bird houses and we are planning to expand that project to include mapping and cleaning existing bird house locations, identifying and building birdhouses to attract various species, and maintaining these birdhouses throughout the year. Along with this may be the building and maintenance of a few duck boxes.
APRIL 21st - Earth Day Restoration Project: This will be the third consecutive year we will assist with a Restoration Project that involves planting native trees and plants in the Turkey Trot area! Rob reports seeing progress from the past two projects. Additionally, we will be assisting with some invasive species removal. Watch for details!
JUNE - Daisy Days: We will continue our "daisy patrol" in June through several "POP UP-portunities" based on weather/conditions! For a summary of last year’s “Daisy Days”: https://scccf.org/post?s=daisy-days-helping-mother-earth-cancer-survivors-heal-2022-06-22
FALL – Deadheading/Seed Collecting: Left to her own devices, Mother Nature can certainly take care of herself... but there is no reason we can’t lend a hand! Come fall, CF&G plans to collect and plant more prairie grass and flower seeds as they continue to develop additional prairie strips on the property and we will be there to help again this year!
Other Dates & Opportunities:
JUNE 4th - National Cancer Survivors Day at the CF&G on Sunday, June 4th!
For the fourth consecutive year we will be celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day at the CF&G! For a summary of last year’s event: https://scccf.org/post?s=celebrating-national-cancer-survivors-day-at-the-christopher-farm-gardens-sunday-june-5th-2022-06-09
AUGUST – The 2nd Annual WANDER-thon Fundraising Event is scheduled for Friday/Saturday, August 18th & 19th!
For those of you who missed last year’s event, read about it in the 3-part series:
https://scccf.org/post?s=wander-thon-at-the-christopher-farm-gardens-part-1-of-2022-08-31
https://scccf.org/post?s=wander-thon-at-the-christopher-farm-gardens-part-2-of-2022-09-12
https://scccf.org/post?s=wander-thon-at-the-christopher-farm-gardens-part-3-of-3-2022-09-28
SURVIVORSHIP THROUGH THE LENS - Erika came up with a GREAT IDEA for Survivorship Through the Lens! We will create a rainbow-themed group photo collage similar to the example at left. Watch for details and don’t forget your camera on your next visit to CF&G!
In addition to planned visits, there will be additional ST&BF POP UP-portunities throughout the year (be sure you are on the “POP UP” e-mail list for last-minute “POP UP-portunities”), a TLC Survivorship Can Be Fun Game Gathering, maybe some kite flying, and much more!!!
Immediately following the TLC Survivorship Session will be a TLC Survivorship Can Be Fun Game Gathering during which we will be offering, for the first time, a game called Photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a green strategy board game in which you plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and your strategy. Other Blue Orange Games that will be available include Yamslam and Battle Sheep (which we’ve played before).