Tom Sawyer Day is coming soon! 

Always a great day of fun, sweat and laughs!  Spring weeding, clearing fallen debris, moving mulch, burn pile, and more to help the property SPARKLE for our spring activities.

We ask for 3 hours of outside property work and then we celebrate with lunch by the creek. Please register in advance.  

Date: Saturday April 8th 
Location: Tryon, NC 28782– roughly 90 minutes from Charlotte, NC
Time: 10AM - 1PM property work, 1PM-2PM Lunch, (lunch provided). You are welcome to relax by the creek after lunch too!

email Shannon

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Closer to the date we will email you a reminder, directions, what to bring, etc.   And all dates are weather dependent

Saturday, April 15th 
10AM - 4PM

Forest bathing broadly means taking in, in all of one’s senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest.  And enjoy the blooming flowers and trees!!!

On April 15th, we invite you and your family to spend time in nature, by the Wind River waterfall. Open to Cancer Survivors, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals, and their families, who need some unstructured time in nature.  

Get away from it all for a couple of hours or bring a lunch and stay for the whole day and carve out some personal and or family time!

Sign Up Here

Sunday April 16th, 10AM - 3:00PM 
Details and Application Click Here

For NC/SC men and women in active treatments or recently completed (within 6 months).  This one-day retreat experience is a wonderful way to reset, recharge and deeply connect with other survivors while soaking in the beauty of nature. Our Wind River Cancer Wellness Retreats emphasize creativity and healing.  

​Everything will be playful, fun and healing aimed at balancing and brightening your body’s energy centers. Be prepared to laugh, learn, and share in a slice of North Carolina paradise!

More details and application: Here

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Register by clicking  HERE

At Wind River we are BIG believers in the power of laughter and connection to heal, but we also understand the power of slowing down and taking personal time to quiet the mind. Taking time for stillness is a form of self care that is often overlooked but is a powerful de-stresser - especially when you do it in a beautiful place in natural setting!

Returning this Spring, Wind River is opening the grounds of our Wellness Center every Wednesday from 10am-4pm most Wednesday's in Spring 2023 for Survivors, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals who need a break from the city and just need some quiet, re-centering time in nature.   

This is unstructured time for you to do what you feel serves you best.  Sit by the creek and listen to the birds, relax in a hammock, write in your journal, meditate, pray or take a walk on the trails and just let go for a while.  We may be on the property working on a project or you may not see us at all - no matter, this is your time and there are plenty of great spaces on the property for contemplation and meditation (or singing, drumming or art if that's your thing)!

Get away from it all for a couple of hours or bring a lunch and stay for the whole day and carve out some personal time to find a calmer, clearer, more peaceful state of mind.  

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• WHO - Survivors, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals who need a "reset"
• WHEN - Wednesdays 10am-4pm  (March 29th, April 12th, May 3rd or let us know a day that works better for you!)
• HOW - Simple.  Just let us know you are coming at least the day before by signing up HERE.
• HOW MUCH - Free

Again, register here

Please no smoking, alcohol, pets, or cell phone chats.  Also, if you have mobility concerns, we can talk directly as our home is on a sloped property with gravel paths and stairs.

Dave & Shannon (hosts / homeowners)

Wind River Wellness Corner

Monkey Mind is when our mind is unfocused and jumping from thought to thought like a monkey jumping from tree to tree.  We all have it at times (especially in this fast paced world we live in), but the good news is that we can learn to control our monkey minds and regain our focus (which helps us feel less scattered and can help with anxiety). 

Practices like Yoga, Tai Chi, gardening, art, drumming and regular exercise routines are powerful ways to focus the mind in one place and keep it from "jumping around".  Taking the time to speak with a professional counselor, volunteering to take your mind off your own worries, using guided meditation tools and taking time for quiet contemplation can also help manage anxiety and control that monkey mind of yours!

Your mental health is so very, very important for your overall wellness, but nobody can do it for you.  So take a look at some of the many ideas in this newsletter and be willing to try something new. You may just find making a practice of some of these techniques can not only help focus your mind while you are doing them, but give you a safe haven to go to when things get a little unsettled in your life.
 
With love and gratitude,

The Wind River Team

"Wind River - a True Treasure!"
- Wind River breast cancer survivor and fellow Treasure Hunt Explorer


This past month we enjoyed a one of a kind 21 Day Wind River Treasure Hunt with over 90 friends from our cancer community!

The notes of gratitude, people's personal ah-ha moments and lots of meaningful sharings doesn't put a dent into the deep gratitude Cheryl and Shannon have for bringing this new virtual retreat to life. Participants founds so many hidden gems in their quest to go beyond their daily routines and reach for more personal growth and adventure!  Created from scratch from the back porch overlooking the Wind River waterfall, the daily gems and personal treasure hunts grew out of the over 16 years of retreats and survivor outreach.  Who knows, maybe we will have another treasure hunt next year!  In the meanwhile, 

And a special thank you to our wonderful guest appearances from practitioners and volunteers Shirley Ballantyne, Scott Greenapple, Becca Odom, Cheryl DeSeller and Deb Culler!

Did you know that cancer survivors are terrible about getting screened for cancers that were not their own?!  So if you've had breast cancer, or prostate, lung, skin, or any other type of cancer, ask yourself, HAVE I GOTTEN my colonoscopy? Did you know they recommend it now at age 45 for all adults (sooner if you have symptoms of course)?  What are you waiting for?!   

Schedule it NOW.  Many practitioners are backed up (yes, bad pun intended) so even if you call today, it could be several months before they can see you.
 

And two more great opportunities to connect and raise awareness this month in Charlotte, NC:

Young Colon Cancer Survivor Group meetup
MARCH 5, 2023 at 6pm
Resident Culture Brewing Co. Southend - 332 W Bland St. Suite C, Charlotte, NC 28203  Spouses/caregivers welcome!
questions? email holly at: hollybcrawford@gmail.com

Get Your Rear In Gear
Colon Cancer Fun Race
Saturday March 25th, Charlotte, NC
Join Wind River Team - or volunteer in our survivor booth (email us)


Special thank you too to Colon Cancer Coalition (and Get Your Rear In Gear Race in Charlotte) for the support of Wind River Cancer Wellness programs - helping to keep all our programs free of charge to survivors!

As we look to the new year, it's customary to look forward to the possibilities ahead of us and contemplate who we will become in the year ahead.  But before we rush ahead into the future it is important for us to take time to pause and remember the people we lost in 2022.  People that, in some cases, we only knew for a short time and were lucky enough to meet and in other cases, people we've known a lifetime.

At our annual Candle Lighting Ceremony this week, each of the names we read out loud was a light in the universe, a person that touched those around them and left a mark. We read these names aloud tonight to honor their family who miss them and to honor their memory and let them know that they are not forgotten.  Each name is a person, a lifetime of adventures and memories and each person will be greatly missed...

Suzanne Roberts, Amber Blackwood, Jeff Finkelstein, Sally McMillan, Karrie Alan, Lawana Best, Halcyon MacKnight, Roslyn Singleton, Scott Blackwood, Barbara Gulick, Jayne Cluggish, Cheryl Martin, Rhonda Howell, Lisa Wohl.

And our Wind River furry friends Zoe and Merlin

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Since our inception in 2007, we light candles and read all the names of Wind River alumni and friends who have passed and while the list grows longer, we cherish each friend and our memories. These friends above will be included in years to come.

​This is an AMAZING time to focus on your health AND your love for your family.   Best way to do that you ask???  No, it's not eat more pumpkin pie (although that is a favorite), it is to make sure you are up to date on your COLONOSCOPY (45 or old - that's YOU).

Wind River is so thankful to share that we are again a 2023 recipient of a grant to support colon survivors from the Colon Cancer Coalition, and the GET YOUR REAR IN GEAR Charlotte race.   We use funds to support survivors and their families with wellness support, respites at Wind River, healthy eating coaching with Cheryl, meet-ups with the Charlotte Young Colon Survivor Group, and much more.  

Of course we welcome EVERYONE to also come out and join our merry team. This year the run/walk in Charlotte will by on Saturday March 25, 2023.  Team Captain Cheryl Lecroy has just created our team --- JOIN US!  Wind River Team Registration. 

Prep 15 minutes 
Cook 10 minutes
​serves 6 (small side dish)
High in Vitamin D

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1-2 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with honey. Stir in ground ginger and lemon juice. Stir in carrots and simmer until heated through.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 114
Fat: 5.8% (3.7% saturated)
Sodium: 93mg
Cholesterol: 15mg (5%)
Fiber: 1.9g
Vit. D 4 mcg (20%)

​Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan + Gluten-free!)

These Sweet Potato Brownies are ultra-rich and fudgy, and don't taste like a "healthy" brownie at all! I love how easy they are to prepare, and how you can't tell there's a sneaky veggie inside.

PREP TIME15 minutes
COOK TIME35 minutes
TOTAL TIME50 minutes
SERVINGS16
CALORIES132 kcal

AUTHOR Megan Gilmore

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato (steamed, then mashed with a fork)
• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter (use raw almond butter for best flavor)
• 1/2 cup cacao powder , or cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 cup coconut sugar (substitute brown or white sugar if desired)
• 1/3 cup gluten-free flour mix (substitute regular all purpose flour if desired)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional; use a dairy-free brand like Enjoy Life to keep these vegan)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, almond butter, cacao powder, coconut sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well, until a relatively smooth batter is formed. (You can do this in a food processor, if you prefer.)
• Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake at 350ºF until the edges look dry and the center of the brownies have puffed up, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let the brownies cool completely before slicing, or they will be too soft. Cut them into 16 small squares, and store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I think they taste even better when you serve them cold from the fridge the next day! Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

VIDEO
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NUTRITION
​Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 884IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
Sweet Potato Brownie Nutrition (per square): Calories: 132, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 18g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 3g

Reprinted from The Dude Diet by Serena Wolf

Cauliflower florets cooked in chicken broth and then pureed until smooth make a healthier and delicious alternative to butter and cream loaded mashed potatoes.

Course Side Dish
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 to 6
Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 small heads cauliflower cored and leaves removed and cut into small florets
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cauliflower and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender, but not completely falling apart.
2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and puree until silky smooth.
3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan and chopped chives and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

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Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving (4 g)
Calories 33 Calories / Fat 2g / Saturated Fat  1g / Cholesterol 6mg / Sodium 526mg / Potassium 94mg / Carbohydrates 1g / Sugar 1g / Protein 3g 
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

​This winter we will spotlight different tips to support your well-being. This month we are delighted to bring you some ideas from our trauma specialist Becca Odom!


If you want to calm your nervous system, you can try stimulating your vagus nerve.  Nourishing our vagus nerve can help us manage stress more efficiently. Some great ways to do this are highlighted in the picture to the left.  Or try this short video for fun!

Vagus Nerve Massage Video

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For more videos for building resilience and healing, go to Becca Odom's Wellness Youtube channel where she's shares simple tips to help you: Becca Odom Wellness YouTube Channel

2 more in-person spots available (at Wind River!)  and 4 available for virtual!

These workshops are open to survivors AND their caregiver, healthcare partners, and any friend of Wind River that wants to stress less and feel more of the good stuff!

  
Friday, October 14th - In Person at Wind River
10AM - 3PM (includes lunch by the creek) / Covid testing will be done because we are inside

REGISTER HERE  

Monday, October 17th & Wednesday, October 19th
6PM - 8PM 
Virtual- 2 sessions, (plan to attend both Zooms)

REGISTER HERE  
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Using breathwork, bio-feedback and much more, this workshop aligns your heart and body's coherence so you have more energy to do what you want in your life.  HeartMath® Certified Facilitator: Lori Ives-Godwin

AND, can't make either of these dates?  Please, fill in the registration and check the box that you are interested in future classes.