“Nurturing Nature” By Jill Mays
Sunday, April 6 at 2 P.M.
Lovell Room
Free and open to the public
Author Jill Howlett Mays, a former Stratford resident, will discuss her new book Nurturing Nature: A Guide to Gardening for Special Needs. The talk addresses why nature and gardening are critical to everyone’s emotional and physical health, along with how to make gardening accessible to vulnerable populations.
The author’s ‘Fun Facts’ make the science behind new findings on the amazing curative nature of tree aerosols, soil and sunshine easier to understand. The stress-reducing benefits are especially important for people who struggle with special needs, and the book gives step-by-step instructions on how to structure garden activities for specific challenges (For Example: wheelchair users, visually impaired, elderly & dementia, Autism Spectrum Disorder). Temple Grandin wrote, “Nurturing Nature provides lots of practical, fun gardening activities for children. They will learn that nature is much more interesting than electronic devices.”
Jill Howlett Mays grew up in Stratford and for over 25 years had an occupational therapy practice in Fairfield County, specializing in sensory integration. When she moved to Cape Cod, she helped develop and run garden groups for children in partnership with market farmers. With an expertise in working with special needs populations, she was asked to run a garden group for adults participating in the Cape Abilities program, an organization for disabled adults. Their stories run through the narrative. She speaks throughout Cape Cod, Boston, New York and Connecticut and is thrilled to return to Stratford, to the very first library that nurtured her and led to her love of reading and writing.
The author will have autographed copies of her book available for purchase following the program. For further information visit the Library website: www.stratfordlibrary.org or call: 203.385.4162.
