Welcome to our April newsletter!
It was another busy month at ThorpeWood. The days have been flying by, alongside handfuls of pink magnolia petals and painted lady butterflies. Take a gander at what we did in last month.
In staff news, we are delighted to announce the arrival of Angelica Bristor, LMSW, as our new Clinical Program Manager! Angelica is a lifelong animal and nature lover. Her social work education and experience working with underserved populations in our community is already adding to the depth of our programs, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have her on board.
ThorpeWood Programs
On April 6th we enjoyed a rainy Saturday with some residents and staff from Steadfast: Standing Firm Against Youth Homelessness. They fished in the pond and spent some quality time with our sweet farm animals. Check out their first annual pig roast fundraiser, hosted by ThorpeWood on May 18th, here!
It was a treat to have a group of students from the psychology class at Brunswick High School join us on April 10th. The students participated in a mindful nature walk with Kaili and an educational grooming session with Angelica, Clare, and the horses. The students learned about co-regulation with horses and what animals can teach us about boundaries in our everyday lives.
Our inaugural Healing Ourselves & Our Planet had its final meeting on Tuesday, April 23rd. In the final weeks of the group meetings shifted to translating the mental health and coping skill building done in the earlier weeks of the group into sustainable action and activism. Our first cohort of HOOP “graduates” has demonstrated a deep and passionate commitment to being agents of change and compassion in the fight against climate change and ecological destruction and we look forward to their continued involvement with ThorpeWood.
On the 25th, a brand new group of program participants came to the farm for the first time. Students and staff from FCPS’s DELTA program, which provides early interventions for elementary school students in need of intensive support, had a lovely morning of quality time bonding with and learning to care for the farm animals. Special thanks to Amrit, a volunteer from Hood college, who provided program support!
We had an adventurous time with both cohorts of students from FCPS’s CASS program during their third and penultimate visits to the farm in April. They took part in a ThorpeWood-ized scavenger hunt that tested their knowledge of the property and ability to work as a team. As each group discovered clues, they collected puzzle pieces. In the end, the full group put the puzzle together to reveal a picture of Wally and Banjo (plus a small portion of Property Manager Jeff’s head. Can you spot it?) The students also painted their own stepping stones, which they will place in the garden during their last visit and graduation from the program. Their visit ended with some quality time with the farm animals they have come to know so well.
these snuggly middle schoolers?
Community Events and Nonprofit Groups
Our Litter Pick-Up and Picnic community event in honor of Earth Day was a grand success! Thanks to the help of 10 volunteers in addition to ThorpeWood staff, we were able to pick up approximately 17 bags of trash (including ~885 alcoholic beverage containers), two tires, and 5 car bumpers. Volunteers, thank you so much for your support and good company. We were so happy to celebrate our planet with you.
On the 20th, we celebrated Earth day yet again. We were lucky to have Melissa Willhouse, ThorpeWood board member and avid nature photographer, on the farm to facilitate a nature photography workshop. Melissa started with a short informative talk to share some tips she has learned about nature photography. Then participants had a chance to practice their skills around ThorpeWood’s pond and hiking trails. Many thanks to Melissa and all those who attended! Take a look at a few of the pictures they took below.
Our very first monthly grief hike took place on a chilly Saturday in April. Participants took part in a support group and sharing circle, followed by a hike through the forest. Despite the rain and cold, we were glad to be able to spend time together and lift everyone’s spirits. If you or someone you know is interested in joining us for a support group and grief hike, keep an eye on our social media and emails for future grief hike sign-ups.
On the last Sunday in March, we welcomed a powerful group of over 20 women to the farm for an event run by Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW), an empowering program through the DNR (read more here). BOW offered two workshops to our participants: wildflower foraging and identification and forest bathing. Huge thanks to the BOW organizers and facilitators for bringing this important event to ThorpeWood!
That’s a wrap for this one, folks. We hope everyone is having a delightful spring. We’ll leave you with a question to think about: What will you do to recharge and rejuvenate this month?
See ya ‘round the mountain,
The Team at ThorpeWood