Wine Country Times

It was only a plot of dirt in the lot between the Women’s Recovery Services (WRS) treatment center and its newly renovated kitchen, but when WRS board member Maria Estournes looked at the muddy land, she saw the potential for a garden where women residents could meditate, talk, plan their lives or simply enjoy the outdoors.

“The dirt backs up against a really pretty creek and a barbecue table,” Estournes told the Wine Country Times. “As I stood there looking at this plot of dirt, I thought the other part of my life might be interested in helping with this.”

It turns out that the other part of Estournes’ life includes her husband, who is a landscaper.

“The two of us have been quite involved in his local professional organization, the California Landscape Contractors Association,” Estournes said in an interview. “I saw this as being a potential community project for the other half of my life and the chapter decided that this would be a wonderful project for them to give back to the community through Women's Recovery Services.”

WRS provides a 120-day residential substance dependence treatment program, primarily for pregnant and parenting women who have infants and children. Treatment can include an eight-month after-care program and up to two years in a transitional sober home. The treatment center comfortably accommodates up to 20 mothers and 12 children.  

“There has been nowhere for women residents to go on-site that’s inviting,” Estournes said. “This is a place where there is peace and quiet and where they can visit with a sponsor or their lawyer on a very private and professional level.”

In addition to providing pregnant women and mothers with a safe place to live and recover from drug or alcohol addiction, WRS also creates a case plan that includes helping residents navigate Child Protective Services, the court system and probation departments.

“They really need a space to meet with their sponsors and talk about their lives,” Estournes said.

After discussions with Estournes, the North Coast chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association, a volunteer group of professional landscape contractors, decided to donate their labor to the project, which lowered the costs of creating a garden for the premises.

“It was perfect timing,” said Connie Salinas, executive director of the California Landscape Contractors Association. “It's winter. All the landscapers slow down in the winter. The lot was a perfect size and everybody got on board. Who doesn't want to help mothers and their children have a better life?”

Eventually all of the supplies and materials were donated as well, leaving the board with only having to buy patio furniture.

"We're very excited about it and we're also very proud of our chapter that it answered the call so quickly and enthusiastically," Salinas told Wine Country Times. "One of our members donated the time and cost of three of their employees to work on the project."

Groundbreaking began last week and construction will be completed by the end of February, taking place over two weekends. 

“The design is calling for raised flower beds and pavers creating a patio area,” Salinas said. “They will put raised flower beds and lighting around the two trees there and the garden patio will span the distance between the two dwellings the women live in so that it is accessible from either side. They’ll be able to just go outside and meet in the garden.”