LOW MOOR, Va. — (June 24, 2024) Thanks largely to a grant from the Dominion Energy Foundation, the Alleghany Highlands YMCA Nature Sensory & Wildlife Trail is nearing completion.
The trail is an inclusive project that engages various audiences living with special needs in physical, emotional and social experiences that are nature-based while promoting learning and sensory enhancement. It is open to the public.
Dominion’s grant funded gravel for the trail, benches, a picnic shelter, sandbox, storage building, trees and shrubbery. It also provided signage, solar lights and decorative solar windmills.
“We are so very grateful that Dominion realized the need for this project, and how it could positively impact our community,” said Alleghany Highlands YMCA President and CEO Bobbie Wagner. “Our strategic planning process identified an opportunity to strengthen partnerships with service providers, engaging with individuals and families with special needs to intentionally incorporate more opportunities for those with differing capabilities.”
Through conversations with parents of children with autism and brain cancer, behavioral health services, seniors, veterans and others, former Alleghany Highlands YMCA CEO Jennifer Unroe and Taralee Wolfe, the YMCA’s Member Services director, developed the vision for this project.
“The target audience for this project includes individuals and families with neurodevelopmental differences such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cognitive development challenges and those with vision or hearing impairments,” Wolfe said. “The project also seeks to serve military veterans with post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), individuals with varying physical abilities, the general youth, adult and senior
audiences.”
The 0.25-mile trail is cut through the front of the YMCA property adjacent to the Jackson River. Stations include benches, sensory garden, music station, gazebo and ADA compliant picnic table. Native plants and trees, bird houses and shrubbery are strategically located along the trail to enhance the sensory experience.
“We hope everyone is able to relax, decompress and reflect on our beautiful river and mountains while they enjoy the trail,” Wolfe added. “It is certainly an opportunity to get closer to nature.”
The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation awards grants in four focus areas — human needs, environmental stewardship, education and community vitality. Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed $46.7 million in 2023 to community causes.
About 6 million customers in 15 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE:D), headquartered in Richmond, Va.
Since its inception in 1992, the Alleghany Highlands YMCA has provided a variety of youth and family programs and expanded memberships and services into all of the Alleghany Highlands communities. For more information on the Alleghany Highlands YMCA, call (540) 962-9622.