Healing with Nature, a grassroots program in Cleveland County recently organized four days of Earth Day activities which culminated with a community potluck held on the grounds of the Holly Oak Park Community Garden in Shelby. Members from the community gathered before the meal for a guided plant walk by Alex Meander of Ardea Homestead Sanctuary in Kings Mountain. Afterwards there was a drum circle led by Justin Harper.
Healing with Nature was organized by volunteers to celebrate community connectedness, health and wellness. The group invited Jon Turk, an organic chemist, writer and world class adventure traveler, to share his story with the community. Turk uses his science background to speak about and promote the use of nature to help with mental health.
Over the four-day period of April 19-22, 2017 events and talks were held in Shelby focusing on community and mental health. The events led up to Earth Day with opportunities for community service and environmental restoration efforts across the county.
Activities and efforts included: Broad River Alliance First Broad River cleanup; Women Outdoors First Broad River Trail, upper section cleanup; Broad River Greenway trail cleanup; Keep Shelby Beautiful uptown cleanup; and Community Earth Day Celebration & local food potluck at the Holly Oak Park Community Garden.
These events were only possible through the collaboration of many community partners. The Healing with Nature group would like to thank everyone for their participation.
For more information about the Mental Health Association in Cleveland County visit clevelandcountymha.org.
To learn more about Jon Turk visit his website at: http://www.jonturk.net.
Photo provided