Healing happening among the garden rows at WRTC

In 2019 OneEighty established the Women’s Recovery and Treatment Center, a residential treatment facility for 16 women with room for eight children to live with their mothers.

Christy VanSickle, OneEighty’s director of development and marketing, said when the new center opened, it was a beacon of hope for many.

The center has a spacious garden that has become the cornerstone of the WRTC’s therapeutic approach.

“The garden at WRTC is not just a place where plants grow,” VanSickle said. “It’s a sanctuary where individuals in recovery can find peace and purpose.”

In addition to the garden, the WRTC includes meditation areas, a communal dining area, a room for socializing and relaxing, a playroom for small children, a meeting space for group therapy, on-site laundry, and fully fenced outdoor areas.

OneEighty is best known in the community for helping victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and those with addiction issues. The WRTC is a facility helping women who have addiction issues find their road to recovery.

VanSickle explained the history of how the center and the garden began, with OneEighty creating a capital campaign during 2017 and 2018 at the time of the opioid epidemic.

“OneEighty, as well as most of Ohio, saw an increase in people seeking services for opioid addiction,” she said. “A barrier for women seeking treatment was a place for their children to reside while they received care.”

OneEighty’s previous treatment facility only had 12 beds and no additional beds for a resident’s children. Utilizing land donated by the Noble Foundation, it was decided a larger facility would not only help expand OneEighty’s services, but also could keep women in treatment longer if they needed to bring their child with them.

The WRTC provides support from professional counselors and chemical dependency counselor assistants, in addition to 24-hour staffing. The facility provides therapeutic groups twice daily and encourages 12-step group involvement each night. The treatment center also works closely with the outpatient and medical departments and peer support coaches to help clients transition from daily addiction behaviors to learning to live in recovery.

Why use a garden as part of the addiction recovery process?

“For those new to recovery, keeping their minds and hands busy is crucial,” VanSickle said. “The act of gardening provides a calming environment that helps to reduce stress and anxiety. It encourages mindfulness and offers a sense of accomplishment as the plants grow and thrive.”

Planting flowers, vegetables and herbs also offers an educational aspect. Learning how to grow food and care for plants can give residents a sense of independence and self-sufficiency. Garden volunteers help clients utilize the vegetables and herbs grown at the facility to create meals for themselves and their fellow residents.

“Gardening is a skillset that promotes healthy living and can be a source of pride and joy,” VanSickle said.

The WRTC garden relies on volunteers to assist with planning, planting, growing and harvesting duties. Current volunteers include Nancy Caperton and master gardeners Pat and Doug Mathews.

Creating the garden was an act of community. Scott and Mona Buehler had the initial idea, and Eric Snider, on the path to becoming an Eagle Scout, chose the garden as his Eagle service project. With the assistance of his father, grandfather, and a team of friends and family, Eric cut and painted wood and installed three raised garden beds. These served the center well for three years until replacement became necessary.

In April of this year, Riverview Industrial Wood Products stepped in to help.

“They generously donated oak wood from their pallet company and designed and built new garden beds on-site, replacing the worn ones with brand-new, sturdy structures,” VanSickle said.

This year the garden bounty includes herbs (chives, basil, rosemary, cilantro), eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, squash, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

“Gardening is more than just a hobby,” VanSickle said. “It’s a powerful therapeutic tool. This hands-on activity fosters a sense of community and teamwork as residents work together to nurture the garden.”

The community is invited to support the WRTC garden with donations for the growing season. Donate directly at Buckwalter Greenhouse, 6554 Back Orrville Road, Wooster, or with a gift card to Buckwalter dropped off at OneEighty’s main office, 104 Spink St., Wooster, Attn: Dwight Sprang, volunteer coordinator.

Find OneEighty online at www.one-eighty.org, at www.facebook.com/one180eighty or @oneeighty_wooster.