In January 2003, the Spotswood Garden Club began its financial and sweat equity support for Camp Still Meadows. Located deep in the hills of Rockingham County, this special camp has a mission to provide year-round therapeutic activities for children and adults with mental retardation and/or physical disabilities in a safe, creative environment.
In 2006, the camp garnered over 16,000 community volunteer hours from public and private organizations and individuals. In addition to being open year-round to over 1500 visits from special needs students, the camp regularly hosts picnic and farm visits from hundreds of students from area schools in Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah and Augusta Counties.
In recent years a therapeutic riding program and a universally accessible tree house have been added to the campgrounds.
Over the past four years, Spotswood has donated and raised over $16,000.00 for projects in and around the camp, including handicapped accessible stone planting terraces, aptly named The Healing Gardens. These gardens, made possible in part by a GCV Common Wealth Award, have delighted campers as they planted, picked, plucked and preserved nature’s bounty.
Out next endeavor will be to join the vegetable gardens to a shallow reflecting pool by way of a safe wheel chair accessible pathway. Surrounded with trees and appropriate plantings, this shaded area will provide a welcoming retreat for campers and volunteers alike to rest and revel in the soothing sounds of water and the wildlife it attracts.
