BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//CalDiscovery//caldiscovery//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
DESCRIPTION:Discovered and maintained by CalDiscovery (https://caldiscover
 y.com). Event details belong to their publishers. Contains information fro
 m CalDiscovery\, which is made available under the ODbL 1.0.
SOURCE:https://caldiscovery.com/charleston-wv/src-9037.ics
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
X-WR-CALDESC:Discovered and maintained by CalDiscovery (https://caldiscove
 ry.com). Event details belong to their publishers. Contains information fr
 om CalDiscovery\, which is made available under the ODbL 1.0.
X-WR-CALNAME:CalDiscovery - charleston-wv
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Special Places Celebration
DTSTART:20260910T220000Z
DTEND:20260911T000000Z
DTSTAMP:20260810T182227Z
UID:10000001-1789063200-1789070400@www.wvlandtrust.org
CATEGORIES:community,outdoors,wellness
DESCRIPTION:WEST UNION\, W.Va. — The West Virginia Land Trust plans to d
 evelop a new “Grounding Garden” at the Marie Hall Jones Ancient Forest
  Preserve in Doddridge County\, offering residents a dedicated space desig
 ned to boost physical and mental health through direct connection with nat
 ure. The project has received financial commitments from both AARP and the
  Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. A grounding garden is a public spa
 ce that invites visitors to directly connect with the earth through sensor
 y-rich\, mindful activities\, such as walking barefoot on grass. The pract
 ice aims to reduce stress\, improve sleep and boost immune function by bal
 ancing the body’s electrical energy. Beyond individual wellness\, conser
 vation initiatives that protect and enhance local green spaces help drive 
 tourism and recreation-based business\, creating potential economic opport
 unities and supporting job creation in the county. The funding from AARP c
 omes through the AARP Community Challenge\, a grant program that supports 
 tangible community improvements to jump-start long-term change as part of 
 the organization’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative. “This wa
 s an incredibly competitive year\, but your project stood out among the 5\
 ,100 applications nationwide. We are delighted to select your proposal and
  look forward to working with you!” the AARP Community Challenge Team sa
 id in a statement. Additional financial assistance is provided by the Park
 ersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates and its affiliat
 e\, the Doddridge County Community Foundation. The foundation connects cha
 ritable resources across an 11-county service area\, awarding grants annua
 lly through unrestricted and field of interest endowment funds as well as 
 donor-advised funds. “The PACF is glad to help support this project\, wh
 ich benefits individuals by helping more people connect with nature and al
 so supports the community by increasing access and activities at this spec
 ial location within Doddridge County. We hope the Grounding Garden inspire
 s more residents and visitors to explore the Marie Hall Jones Ancient Fore
 st Preserve and enjoy the many benefits of spending time outdoors\,” sai
 d Maribeth Saleem-Tanner\, PACF senior program officer. The upcoming devel
 opment builds on existing local engagement at the preserve\, which opened 
 in 2023. “The Marie Hall Jones Ancient Forest Preserve has already prove
 n to be a valued community asset. Since the preserve opened in 2023\, the 
 trails have welcomed regular weekly visitors from the surrounding communit
 y\, demonstrating clear local demand for accessible outdoor recreation and
  nature-based wellness opportunities. The strong and consistent use of the
  preserve highlights both the community’s support for the site and the n
 eed to further enhance it with features like the upcoming Grounding Garden
 \,” said Jessica Spatafore\, WVLT director of marketing and communicatio
 ns. The West Virginia Land Trust is a statewide\, nationally accredited no
 nprofit dedicated to permanently protecting the state’s scenic areas\, w
 ater quality and recreational access. Since 1994\, the organization has pr
 otected more than 62\,000 acres of land\, including nine public nature pre
 serves. Story credit: The Exponent Telegram: https://www.wvnews.com/theet/
 news/land-trust-to-develop-grounding-garden-in-doddridge-county/article_c8
 0ddb2b-4ebd-4b2c-af62-1bb9b5e5c15c.html Pictured below is a concept sketch
  of the upcoming grounding garden:
LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T182227Z
LOCATION:Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia Charleston
 \, WV\, 1 Clay Square\, Charleston\, WV\, 25301\, United States
URL:https://www.wvlandtrust.org/event/special-places-celebration/
X-SOURCE-NAME:WV Land Trust
X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.wvlandtrust.org
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR