On the first day of Kids To The Country, a four-day, overnight program situated
at The Farm in Summertown, the 1,750 acres of wide open spaces leave most the
children wide-eyed and unsure.
But by the last day this same group of 25 or so children, ranging in age from 6–12 years old, is begging to stay longer.
Kay Artibee, a volunteer with the program, said she has seen this cycle time and
time again.
“When they first get here, everyone is so, so quiet,” said Artibee, a research nurse specialist in the Neurology Department at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “By the end of Kids To The Country, they have really opened up and they are sad
that it is over so quickly.
“I don’t remember many of the children feeling homesick,” she said. “They are quiet at first, but they are just so busy and having a lot of fun. They
really thrive there.”
Artibee is one of the volunteers with the program, which was created in 1986 to
help at-risk youth build positive self-image, develop a connection with the
land and nature, and to diffuse anger, violence and fear. The multicultural
exchange program is funded by the Community Shares Foundation, an organization
that funds groups trying to get at the root cause of issues like hunger, health
care, domestic violence and environmental issues.
“It’s amazing to see how reconnecting children with nature offers them an
opportunity to get out of troubled situations,” said Artibee. “They are able to develop a connection with nature through hands-on experiences.
“We do a lot of community building and work on conflict resolution as well as
riding horses, bikes, arts and crafts, nature study and swimming in the creek,” she said. “The children enjoy the vegan food prepared by the women who live on the Farm.”
The Farm was started as a community in 1971. It has become internationally known
for natural childbirth and midwifery to healthy diet and vegetarian cuisine,
creative arts and alternative technologies to its partnerships and assistance
to native cultures.
Kids To The Country, now in its 25th year, has served more than 2,800 children.
There are five sessions held every summer plus several events held each year
within the Nashville community.
The founder and director of the program, Mary Ellen Bowen, said the program is
an outdoor experience with life-changing impact.
“It’s an all around education with a really good science curriculum,” Bowen said. “We teach them about their own personal connection with nature as well as giving
them an expanded view of the world.
“We are planting seeds, both literally and figuratively. These children are
learning to build a sense of community through nonviolent conflict resolution
skills. They are developing healthy relationships as well as benefiting from
structured activities that form a lasting sense of accomplishments.
“They are not only learning to love and respect themselves, but the planet and
life.”
Artibee knows the program works. Year after year the children return—some as participants and others as counselors.
“Anytime any of us touches a life of a child, we really have the opportunity to
make a difference in such a positive way that can absolutely open that child’s eyes to possibilities they may not have considered.
“It’s like throwing a pebble into a pond. Those ripples are so far reaching. You don’t know how far they will go. Through Kids To The Country, we are impacting the
outcome of more than just that child’s life.”
