This post was written by Lauren, Joyce’s Development Assistant.
The week before the garden party I wondered how the weather would turn out — there had been storms, rain, and all sorts of weather bad for a party. We crossed our fingers, and as luck would have it, Friday rolled around and the weather was better than we had hoped for! There wasn’t a cloud in the sky — the sunshine made a guest appearance at our party, too!
The air was a bit chilly, but our Joyce family was undeterred, and turned out with their hats and their coats and their smiles. Kids and adults alike brought a wonderful energy that could be seen throughout the afternoon.
Kids climbed rocks, rolled down the hill, and walked the winding path of labyrinth. They taste-tested herbs, and took funny photobooth pictures. They ate some salsa and chips, climbed all over the playfort, and then ate some more chips and salsa. Their bodies didn’t stop moving!
Adults brought their own energy too, measured in lively conversation and unrestrained laughter. (They also did some taste-testing and game playing.) It was great to see all those connected with Joyce spend some time getting to know one another.
What would a Joyce event be without some time to be thankful? The Garden Party was only a few short hours, but we hauled out a microphone just to say some well-earned thank-yous:
to the generous individual donors and foundations who made this possible, including The Toro Company Foundation, WCA Foundation, and Donaldson Foundation; to landscaper Tangletown Gardens, who did a lot of the dirty work and heavy lifting; to our Target volunteer groups and members of our Joyce family, who helped us plant vegetables, flowers, herbs, and all sorts of growing greens on the two build days we had in June; and the people who helped craft our vision and who worked many extra hours to ensure that the preschoolers would have an outdoor space to flourish in.
Teacher Sandra explained the many benefits the preschoolers will receive and the ways that children interact with a natural space like The Outdoor Classroom: it gives them space to create their own goals (child-led play), to problem solve, to develop better mind-body connections. I have seen this in action during after-school time: kids can take a simple thing like stick, and suddenly it becomes a wand, or a fishing pole, or a balance beam. It’s great to see how the natural space encourages children to be creative, and I am excited to spend time in this new space.
Sometimes I forget how strong the Joyce community is, but events like this remind me of how special these connections we have grown are. As we continue to grow in our new space, it will be wonderful to see how The Outdoor Classroom grows, too. Thank you to all who attended The Garden Party!