A group in a tiny southwest Iowa town has created a new outdoor space to raise awareness about mental health. Carla Kucirek of the Sons and Daughters of Imogene says about 30 volunteers have transformed a dilapidated property.
“We reworked it, cleared the pit, leveled tiles, cleared trees. We hung hammocks, created a little walking path,” she says. “We’ve got picnic tables and some artwork.”
They’re calling the space the Irish Rose Forest. “It really was just an area that we wanted to transform into a safe outdoor space for the public,” she says, “and a place to promote mental health wellness.”
A dedication ceremony will be held at Imogene’s Irish Rose Forest in Imogene at noon this Sunday. “This place used to be a dark and dismal property and we have transformed it into a beautiful place,” Kucirek says, “and, if you feel like you need somewhere to belong to, you can belong to Imogene.”
Imogene had 39 residents during the 2020 Census. The town got an $8000 grant from the Fremont County Community Foundation to rehabilitate the property, which is a block away from the Catholic Church in Imogene.
(By Ryan Matheny, KMA, Shenandoah)