Memorial Garden Landscaped by Men in Substance Abuse Program

A plaque in the center of the garden reads: ?EUR??,,????'??Welcome to ARTS Memorial Garden?EUR??,,????'???.to honor those who have embraced recovery and those less fortunate.?EUR??,,????'?? The garden has a donor brick campaign to commemorate treatment and recovery of loved ones or to convey a message of hope and inspiration.

A memorial garden has been built on the historic Fort Logan Campus by a group of men with a history of substance abuse and criminal activity. The men are involved in the Peer I program, a division of the Addiction Research and Treatment Services (ARTS) and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

The ARTS Memorial Garden was conceived by Ken Gaipa, director of Peer I to honor the women and men who have successfully been through the substance abuse treatment and programs at the facility. The client volunteers, along with paid staff members, built the large, landscaped garden with a water feature and walkway made of donor bricks. The donor bricks serve as a fundraising mission to raise money for additional projects and services not funded by the state.

For many of the men involved, the ARTS Memorial Garden signifies the first time they have given back to their community. There is also a certain pride in the commitment and responsibility for creating the landscape.

Those interested in purchasing a donor brick in the ARTS Memorial Garden should contact Ken Gaipa at 303-761-2885 or Julie Miller 303-761-7626.