Annual Report 2026
A Transformative Year at Reflection Riding
Dear Friends, Supporters, Members, and Volunteers,
While we have much to celebrate this year, I’m particularly inspired by our box turtle program. I grew up being amazed by these creatures. I remember being blown away as a kid by the idea that a box turtle can live over 30 years in the wild and up to 50 in captivity (a very long time for a pre-teen). Because each has a unique shell pattern, you can even start to get to know individual turtles if you’re fortunate enough to visit the same land regularly.
These turtles have seen the forest around them change, often not for the better. Now they face poaching pressure as people half a world away have discovered their beauty.
I’m proud of the small part we can play in helping to interrupt this illegal poaching system. We’re now providing a couple of dozen new turtles with a better life while they clear the legal system. We hope each of them will soon be reunited with the forest after disease screening and genetic testing.
As we look back on another transformative year at Reflection Riding, I continue to be inspired by your generosity. This year, we celebrate two of the largest philanthropic gifts ever made to our organization, with a $1.5M commitment from a local foundation and two separate $1M gifts from individuals in our community. We’ve also continued to see growing grassroots interest in our work, with thousands of small donations sustaining us throughout the year. Every gift plays a part in our collective effort.
This year, we vastly improved our Welcome Center buildings, our Nursery (with another round of major improvements on the way!), our trails, and our programs. We wrapped up our best-attended summer camp season ever. We welcomed several new animal ambassadors, including a few that will be on the road with our outreach team traveling across our region.
Your generosity empowers everything you’ll see on the following pages. Thank you!
Gratefully,
Our Stories
Thoughtful By Design
Last summer, our community came together to help us invest in the Welcome Center, the place where so many visits to Reflection Riding begin. Over the past year, that support has taken shape in thoughtful improvements designed to make this central gathering place more accessible, durable, and welcoming for years to come.
Creativity Takes Flight
Nature and art have always been deeply connected. The colors, patterns, and relationships found in the natural world inspire creativity, while art helps us notice and understand nature in new ways.
Habitat Starts with Plants
Native plants are the foundation of healthy ecosystems, providing food and shelter for wildlife while helping hold soil, filter water, and create resilient landscapes. This year, we expanded that work by growing our team, welcoming more volunteers, and expanding native habitat throughout our community.
Making Space for Native Life
This year, we continued to expand our work across campus to restore landscapes where native plants—and the wildlife that depend on them—can thrive.
Rooted in the Tennessee Valley
This year, we launched the Tennessee Valley Seed Project, a long-term effort to better understand, preserve, and share the locally adapted native plants of our region. At its core, the project reflects our commitment for Reflection Riding to be a place for learning, discovery, and hands-on conservation, while giving us new ways to explore and understand the Tennessee Valley itself.
Bringing Conservation to Life
This year, we welcomed a remarkable new addition to our Animal Ambassador team: Leuci, a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk (pictured on front cover). Leucism, a rare condition that results in reduced pigmentation, gives Leuci her striking pale appearance.
Community in Nature
People come together at Reflection Riding. Throughout the year, our events create meaningful opportunities for families, friends, and neighbors to share music, meals, and time outside. Shared experiences outside matter at every age, creating lasting memories across generations and giving children space to deepen their curiosity, wonder, and connection to nature.
Growing Up Outside
For board member Erin Lopez, Summer Camp at Reflection Riding is part of her family’s story. Erin attended camp here as a child and still remembers a day spent sliding and playing in the mud pit with friends, an experience she describes as a “core childhood memory.”
Pathways to Possibility
This year marked an important evolution for our Native Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program. At its core, the program creates meaningful opportunities for students from The Howard School to learn, work, grow, and spend time outside.
Apprenticeship Donors
American Water Charitable Foundation
Anonymous (3)
The Card Family
Farrow Family Foundation
Garden Club of Lookout Mountain
Hamilton County Youth Employment Program
Journey Health Foundation
Mountain View Auto Group
Robert Finley Stone Foundation
UNUM
Weldon F. Osborne Foundation
Annual Giving Society
Annual Giving Society members are the champions of nature at Reflection Riding.Your contributions ensure we can continue offering our community accessibleoutdoor opportunities, from exploration to conservation. We are endlessly grateful for your dedication and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you.
Anonymous (12)
Ann & Bill Aiken
Annette Allen & John Shearburn
Charita Allen
Brooke Thomas & Nic Armstrong
Daisy Maurya-Ballard & Matthew Ballard
Nancy & Charlie Belin
The Berghel Family
Nora & Bob Bernhardt
Alisa Bigham
Ginger & Alex Birnbaum
Jean & Rick Botto
Brandon Brewster
Frank Bright
Nicole & Charlie Brock
Danna Bailey & David Brock
Meg & Oscar Brock
Susu & Paul Brock
Florence Bromfield & Chandlee Caldwel
Jen & Neil Brown
Emily & Eric Bua
Betsy & Ben Cake
Beth and Teddy Caldwell
Dreama & Trey Campbell
Mike Campbell
Mary Beth & Jim Catanzaro
Jennifer & Greg Clark
Joan & Ken Clark
Michelle Hunter & Matt Clemmer
Courtney & Brad Cobb
Angie & Pat Conroy
Christine & Joseph Cooper
Suzanne Corrington, MD
Mary & David Corson
Marian Creighton
Andrea Crouch
Nini & Elliott Davenport
Susan & Jesse Day
Heather & Joe DeGaetano
Bena & David DeVaney
McCall & Frazier DeVaney
Susan Elder
Ann & Miller Epps
Sally & Buddy Faulkner
Tara & Gene Geiger
Betsy Gibson
Paula Haynes & Greg Grant
Linda & Doug Graydon
Joen & Bob Grizzard
The Hand Foundation
Suzanne & Wilson Haizlip
Lucia & Thomas Hopper
Marlie & Geoff Hurdle
Deanne & Nelson Irvine
Jacobs Quinn Family Foundation
Susan & Don Jensen
Wendy & David Johnston
Carla M. Askonas &
Charles G. Jones
The Jordahl Family
Arline Mann & Bob Katz
Ann Keown
Bruce Komiske
Erin Felton Lopez
Katherine Hanks & Rob McAlister
Mary & Don McDowell
Jack McKee Family
Janel & Chris McKee
Chris Lykins & Mark McKnight
Joan & Brian Mickles
Sara & Robert Mingus
Kristina & Tom Montague
Ellen & Chris Moore
Carla & Bubba Morgan
Elizabeth & Jerele Neeld
Susan Street & Paul Neely
Margy Oehmig
Lane & Ricky Park
Colleen Carboni & Ashlee Patten
Carolene & Alden Perry
Kim Terry & Bill Phillips
P. Robert Philp, Jr.
Cathey & Randy Ralph
Susan & Steve Rich
A.B. Riser
Amy Beville & Jeff Roberts
Kathleen & Fred Robinson
Laura & Jed Roebuck
Lindsay & Dan Rose
Brett Rousch
Lorie & Bill Runge
Julia & Keith Sanford
Melissa & Santosh Sankar
Lisa Lemza & Mike
Shillinger
Bonny Sinclair
Ginny Smith
Luke Soules
Michelle & Chris Spencer
Susan & Taylor Stein
Julie & Patrick Stowe
Denise & Mike Taylor
Laura Jones & Read Taylor
Phyllis & Bruce Tilden
Daly Turnbull
Anna & Kenny Turner
Greg A. Vital
Doug & Sandra Warner
Lauren Wolfford
Kirby & Jake Yost
In Memory of Sandra Zitkus
See an error? We apologize and would love to correct it. Please contact us at support@reflectionriding.org.
We are deeply grateful to our Annual Giving Society members and to the sponsors, funders, grantors, and foundations whose generosity advances our mission and strengthens our impact throughout the Chattanooga community.
$50,000+
Grandview Foundation, Inc.
George R. Johnson Foundation
Lyndhurst Foundation
Robert Finley Stone Foundation
TuckerBuild
$20,000+
EPB
Farrow Family Foundation
Footprint Foundation
John Templeton Foundation
Schillhahn-Huskey Foundation
$10,000+
Black Creek Chattanooga
City of Chattanooga
Hazel Montague Hutcheson Foundation
The Landing Social House
Stone Source, Inc.
Tremont Tavern
Volkswagen Chattanooga
$5,000+
The Belvedere Fund
Bridge Financial Planning, LLC
Chattanooga Whiskey
Hamilton County Youth Employment Program
HELM Projects
McKee Foods
Mountain View Auto Group
Pillar Construction
The Strickland Foundation
UNUM
The Unicorn Restaurant and Catering
Varallo Foundation
WMWA Landscape Architects
$2,500+
ArtsBuild
Build Sage Design
The Card Family
Club Pilates
Coca-Cola Bottling Company, UNITED
Compass Real Estate
Curated Goods
Dolan Gardens Foundation
Elder’s Ace Hardware
Evergreen Property Group
First Horizon Foundation
Garden Club of Lookout Mountain
Gearhead Outfitters
Hutton & Smith Brewing Company
Journey Health Foundation
Mountain Outfitters
NAI Charter
New Blue Construction
The Patten Group
Southeastern Salvage
Tennessee Arts Commission
TEREN
Timberroots
Weldon F. Osborne Foundation
$1,000+
Anonymous
Athens Distributing Company
Bad Beard Events
Battle Academy Second Grade Class
Chattanooga Allergy Clinic
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Third Grade Class
Cub Scout Pack 4, Scouting America
HHM Certified Public Accountants
Legacybox
MayTree Massage
NewTerra Compost
OCI
Oddstory Brewing Company
One to One Health
Panoram Asados
Q Strategies
Rise Partners
Roamstead Hospitality
Sophie’s Shoppe
2025 Summer Campaign Donors
Our Summer 2025 Campaign was made possible by the generosity of this community. We are grateful to every donor whose support is helping us improve accessibility and invest in a Welcome Center that will serve our community for years to come.
Anonymous (9)
Annette Allen & John Shearburn
Martha Anderson - in gratitude for the beauty and wonder of Reflection Riding
Sarah & Keith Baker
Leslie & John Bannier
Gail Loveland &
Michael Barille
Donna Landry &
Henry Beck
The Berghel Family - in memory of Robb Berghel
Donna & Greg Bloh
Clarence Blue
Kristin & Ryan Bode
Jean & Rick Botto
Nancy & Charlie Brice
Elle Welch & Baker Brock
Kristen & Hamilton Brock
Susan & Paul Brock
Corinne Giagnorio &Van Bunch
Alex Buttram - in honor of Amy Yacoubian
Joana & Chris Case
Stephanie & Brandon Chance
Michelle Hunter & Matt Clemmer
Susan & Jo Colmore
Cindy Slycord &
Erica Corbitt
Suzanne Corrington, MD
Mary & David Corson
Tonia & Will Cox
Andrea Crouch & Family
Gina & Clay Crumbliss
Karen Dale
Heather & Joe DeGaetano
Bena & David DeVaney
Kate Dilworth
Carey Dozier - in memory of Keith Elder
Sally & Buddy Faulkner
Margaret & Scott Ferguson
The Geiger Family
Jennifer & Greg Clark
Paula Haynes & Greg Grant
Dianne Gray
Susan & Brian Groppe
Laura & Bill Harmer
Corrine & Tim Hennen
Margaret & Robert Hill
Wendy & Tony Hill
The Hazel Montague
Hutcheson Foundation
Jaap/Feingold Family
Linda Jacobs
Laura Leventhal &
Alan Jaffee
Gail & Chris Jenkins
Susan & Don Jensen
Wendy & David Johnston
Lisa & George Brown
Arline Mann & Bob Katz
Ann Keown
Catherine Canonico & Maricarol Kileff
The Koebley Family
Bruce Komiske
Sara & Stephen Kuhn
Anna & Michael Lawman
Lisa Lemmons
Melanie Lindgren
Erin Felton Lopez
Jonnie Sue Lyons
Sylvia MacNeill
Jessica & Pablo Mazariegos
Alice & Allen McCallie
Susan & Scott McGinness
Kimberly & Mark McKnight
Chris Lykins & Mark McKnight - in honor of Matt Whitaker and his extraordinary efforts to make RR more accessible to our community
Dabney James & Henry Mentink
Joan & Brian Mickles
Laura Miller
In memory of Bob and Louise Mingus
Cindy Moss - in honor of David H. Beckler
Grace Mynatt
Elizabeth & Jerele Neeld
New Blue Construction
Curtis, Ruthie, Owen & Hadley Norton - In honor of this summer’s cicadas
NovelWorks
Margy Oehmig
Lane & Ricky Park
Colleen Carboni & Ashlee Patten
Kim Terry & Bill Phillips
Leslie & Reginald Poindexter
The Przybysz Family
Dan Rineer
Cathy and Jim Robbins - in honor of Nelson Irvine
Larry & Marty Roberts
Ferris & Dan Robinson
Kathleen & Fred Robinson
Ruby Falls, LLC
Lucy Scanlon
Nancy Shiles
Fred Shirley
Sharon Bandy & Buzz Sienknecht
Marilyn Sizer
SketchHaus Architects
Stone Source, Inc.
Luke Soules
Michelle & Chris Spencer
Cassie Frogge & Jason Stephens
Denise & Mike Taylor
Kristie Bergeron & Gregg Taylor
Taylor Sauer Family
TuckerBuild
Caroline Von Kessler
Revs. Cathy Meyer & Ken Waddell
Sandra & Doug Warner
Wendy Warren
Sherry & Steven Watson
The Weikel Family
Matt Whitaker
Belinda R. Wilson
WMWA Landscape Architects
Ann & John Woody
Kirby & Jake Yost
Previous Annual Reports
We’re advancing thoughtfully, ensuring every dollar you donate creates a lasting legacy for our community.