The Oasis Project:  Deer Creek Nursing & Rehab Courtyard Beautification

Key Objectives:

• Enhance Health and Wellness: Provide residents with a sanctuary for stress relief, emotional and physical wellness, and rejuvenation.​
• Encourage Natural Elements: Featuring native Plants and Inviting local Songbirds

• Incorporate Inspiring Public Art: Enliven and beautify this community space

• Foster Community Connection: Create inviting spaces to promote a sense of belonging and companionship among residents.

• Promote Sustainability: Incorporate eco-friendly elements: native plants, rainwater conservation and energy-efficient and night-sky compliant lighting.

• Ensure Accessibility: Create an inclusive and accessible space available to residents of all ages and abilities, ensuring that all can benefit from its therapeutic qualities.

 

Why This Project Is So Important:  Deer Creek is the only skilled nursing and long-term care facility in Wimberley and has been in this community for a very long time. New leadership has made great progress in stabilizing staffing and significantly improving the overall care and quality of life for Deer Creek residents.

 

With 98% of the residents on government Medicaid assistance, the financial margins for building renovations are very small. The majority of funds are allocated toward aging AC/heating systems, plumbing, outdated kitchen equipment and other essentials necessary to make the building safe and ensuring the best care possible for all residents.

 

Beautification of the courtyard is an important and heartfelt project for Deer Creek. Many of the residents are bedridden; some on life support equipment that will not allow them to leave their rooms. For those residents, the courtyard is their only view out into the beautiful, natural Hill Country environment. For many it is the last thing they will see in this life. For residents in wheelchairs, this is a place to safely enjoy a bit of Hill Country landscape and fresh air.

 

Once the project was underway, contributions began to flow in. The project touched our community and had special meaning for many. Funding began to come from numerous local non-profits, individuals and families. Local businesses donated unrestricted funds as well as underwriting for specific elements of the project or provided in-kind donations of materials and services. Families of current and former Deer Creek Nursing & Rehab residents also came forward and contributed generously.

 

Many Wimberley Arts Board members and other volunteers are in the courtyard regularly working on various aspects of the project. Invariably several staff and residents will come out to the courtyard or catch us in the hallway to express their gratitude.

 

The newly re-invigorated central water feature/koi pond is an especially popular gathering spot for residents, families and staff to relax, enjoy the landscape and fresh air and to feel a sense of belonging and companionship with other residents, staff and families.

 

But the work doesn’t stop here.

 

Thanks to such generous support, we have substantially completed the transformation of the outdoor courtyard into a vibrant, restorative oasis—a place where residents, families, and staff can connect with nature, find peace, and build community. Designed to promote physical wellness and emotional well-being, this beautiful new space now features native plantings, public art, accessible walkways, and welcoming areas for gathering and reflection.

 

To ensure this space continues to flourish for years to come, we are seeking funding to support ongoing enhancements and essential maintenance. Your gift will help us care for the garden beds, sustain bird-friendly habitats, maintain artwork and infrastructure, and explore future additions that further enrich the courtyard’s beauty and function. With your continued investment, this space will remain a living, evolving source of healing, joy, and connection.

 

Please consider making a gift today to help us protect and enhance this vital community resource. Together, we can ensure that the courtyard continues to nurture wellness, inspire stewardship of the natural world, and bring people together in meaningful ways.

 

Donor Information

To donate on-line click the button below. Checks can be made out to WVACA with “Deer Creek Project” in the memo line and mailed to: P. O. Box 608, Wimberley, TX 78676.