Inside a home in Marietta, women are healing as they work through recovery from addiction. Outside the home, that healing can continue in the Serenity Gardens, situated on the 7.4-acre grounds of Riverview Tower, home of The GateHouse's Residential Extended Care for women.

Groundbreaking began on the gardens in September. The main construction - including installation of a waterfall and lighted brick paths - was completed in December, with plans for planting flowers and installing benches and engraved bricks scheduled for the spring.

"When we held our grand opening for the house, we wondered, 'How can we get the community, and potential donors, more invested in what we're doing here?'" recalled Keith Stoudt, director of support services for The GateHouse. "The garden offers a resource beyond clinical services. It's about helping the whole person."

Stoudt knows what he's talking about. A recovering addict who got clean in 2005, he said he personally benefited from being outside in nature. "I know that in your recovery journey, you can get so much out of a place that provides a quiet space to reflect, recharge and center yourself," he stated. "For me, I do a lot of meditation and prayer. I need that spiritual connection. That's what we're hoping the gardens will provide for the women here."

While the gardens are started, there is still work to be done. Plans include expanding the brick paths down to bus stops on the main road to provide the women with easy access to transportation. A greenhouse will be added on-site, offering hands-on gardening opportunities for the residents, and Stoudt said plans are in the works to create walking trails throughout the woods on the property.

He noted he's already received calls from local churches and organizations that want to volunteer in the gardens, and he's excited about that. "We want to invite the community in to see what we're all about here," he said. "We want the women here to get involved in volunteer work in the community as well. We're doing everything we can to reduce the stigma associated with people in recovery." And he's looking for additional donors for everything from purchasing an engraved brick to planting a tree or sponsoring a bench.

When The GateHouse opened Riverview Tower in 2019, it transformed a late 19th-century house into a home for up to 30 women, who can live in the house for up to 90 days before moving to transitional housing. With headquarters in downtown Lancaster, The GateHouse operates a behavioral health outpatient center and other extended-care residences as well as transitional living homes in Lancaster County. Stoudt said the organization may use the Serenity Gardens as a model for similar projects at its other locations.

"We are hoping the women will use the gardens as a place to relax and reflect," Stoudt said. "It's another tool on their recovery journey."

A grand opening of the Serenity Gardens is planned for the spring, but a date has not been set yet. For more information on the gardens or The GateHouse, visit https://gatehouse.org.