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.

Rather than simply replacing aging materials, we saw an opportunity to think carefully about how every choice could reflect our commitment to long-term stewardship. New and improved pathways featuring locally sourced Tennessee sandstone are providing easier access to the Welcome Center while more naturally connecting the space to the surrounding landscape. Installed using a dry laid method without mortar, the stone can be adjusted, reused, and rebuilt over time—a durable material designed to evolve with the needs of our campus.

We’ve taken the same approach in replacing the aging breezeway decking. Thermally modified pine uses heat and steam rather than chemical treatments to create wood that resists moisture, insects, and decay, naturally. The result? A beautiful, resilient material that reduces the need for frequent replacement while maintaining the natural character of the Welcome Center.

These improvements are nearly complete, and we are grateful to every donor who helped make them possible, as well as to TuckerBuild, New Blue Construction, Novel Works, Stone Source, and WMWA Landscape Architects for helping bring this vision to life. Together, we’re caring for what we have today while making thoughtful choices that will serve our community well into the future.