In early August the Santa Fe Botanical Garden (SFBG) was designated for an evening field trip for seven grandparents and their nine grandchildren, members of Las Cumbres' Santa Fe Grandparents Raising Granchildren (GRG) group. After partaking of a nourishing meal provided by Las Cumbres in their Fifth Street office, monthly GRG support group participants made their way to Museum Hill for a summer evening outing to the local mesmerizing landscape.  Upon arrival they were greeted by staff member, Lydia Lopez, who then led the group to what "felt like stepping into another world", according to group facilitator Naomi Diamond.  The younger children gravitated toward the garden-related art activities that had been set up for them to engage with while the older children and their grandparents walked the meandering paths taking in the tranquil beauty of the colorful landscape as well as the amazing Dan Ostermiller bronze wildlife sculptures on site.

Las Cumbres Community Services would like to gracioulsy thank Mollie Parsons, Education Director, and staff member Lydia Lopez of the SFBG for providing our grandparents and their grandchildren with a truly unique experience of wonder and contemplation in a very special place. Following the outing, facilitator Diamond received a follow up call from the SFBG administartion extending a generous offer for free annual memberships for not only the families in attendance that night but to all of the Santa Fe Grandparents Raising Grandchildren participants - heartfelt tale of community generosity and collaboration.

To learn more about the agency's Grandparents Raising Grandchildren programs, offering support and education for this population of caregivers across three counties, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Taos, click here.

And to find out how you can visit and/or support the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, please, enter here.