Delaware Opportunity’s Child and Family Services offers a wide range of programs and services for the community, including youth engagement initiatives, home care services for individuals with disabilities, foster care support, and parent education for at-risk families. Staff members are deeply engaged in the day-to-day work of their individual specialties and have limited opportunities to step back and connect as a larger team. The staff enthusiastically embraced a day retreat at The Uplands Center as an opportunity to restore their energy and build a greater sense of unity within their team.
After arriving to a light morning fare of muffins, banana bread, and fruit, the group savored a gentle yoga session. With their energies grounded, the team dove into a collaborative art project, rotating their artwork and building upon each other’s creations. A guided hike on the Wellness Walk offered moments of personal reflection, insights on local ecology, and wildlife encounters (including coming upon a group of garter snakes, which met with a mix of delight and apprehension). Lunch included pinto bean soup, galettes topped with foraged ramps, and a salad of dandelion greens weeded from The Uplands’ garden. The group demonstrated their problem-solving skills and shared sense of humor in a team building game on the sunny lawn, followed by some unstructured time to enjoy the beautiful spring day. As the group transitioned out, one team member reflected, “I haven’t felt this relaxed in months. Our team really needed this!”
Thank you to Child and Family Services for providing critical care and programs to our community!
