Trail of Hope: A gift of wellness, strength and hope for generations to come
Next time you travel along the Maple City Greenway Bikepath beside the millrace canal in Goshen, take a moment to look up. You’ll see a sweeping canopy of 133 trees planted on the Trail of Hope 20 years ago.
The 25-foot-tall honey locust and hackberry trees represent a living tribute to people diagnosed with cancer. They also offer a healthy dose of physical and mental restoration for walkers, bikers and passersby on the trail.
Every tree planted tells a story of hope and well-being
Each year, Goshen Center for Cancer Care donates funds to the city of Goshen to support the Trail of Hope program. The annual giving tallies up to nearly $300,000 since the first donation in 2005.
Nearly 2,000 trees purchased with grant funds provide welcome shade and restorative therapy throughout the city. They line walkways and bike paths, populate community parks, tower over schools and shade other public spaces in the community.
"We are deeply honored to contribute to the Trail of Hope project and witness the transformative impact it has on our city and its residents,” Dr. Urs von Holzen, Medical Director at the Center for Cancer Care, said. “Through our commitment to planting trees and enhancing our shared spaces, we’re not only fostering a healthier environment but also strengthening the spirit of our community. Being part of this initiative is a true privilege."
Trail of Hope has become the cornerstone for the city of Goshen’s Urban Tree Canopy Goal of 45 by ’45. Ongoing annual donations from the Center for Cancer Care fund tree plantings that will become a canopy of shaded public spaces covering 45% of the city by 2045.
Red oaks and sugar maples planted two decades ago tower 35 feet in front of Model Elementary School along Greene Road. Red bud, serviceberry, white oak and other species add diversity in 14 community parks around the city. You can find American beech and honey locust along traffic corridors from Greene Road and Indiana Avenue to Bashor Road, old County Road 17 and along US 33 Bypass.
“The gift of these trees is really beyond value,” Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, Forester, City of Goshen, said. “Trees, over their lifetime, accomplish untold direct ecological, social and even economic good.”
Park prescription: Getting outside is good medicine
Beyond its beauty, the towering greenscape along the trail is a powerhouse when it comes to health benefits. Just sitting under a tree lowers stress levels and boosts a sense of calm, according to hundreds of studies. Regular moments outdoors also can lower blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones.
Nature makes a big difference with your immune system too. A walk outside fuels your body with an extra dose of endorphins, the chemicals in the brain that act like natural painkillers and mood elevators.
Another bonus from a few minutes outdoors – natural sunlight produces vitamin D as it enters your body through the skin.
A 20-year legacy of health, hope and gratitude
Trail of Hope began with more than 100 saplings planted along the Millrace Canal across from the historic Hawks Building in Goshen. Just over a mile from Goshen Hospital, the original trail germinated from efforts by two local doctors with a deep love of nature and the Goshen community.
Dr. Doug Schwartzentruber, former medical director of the Center for Cancer Care, planted the seed for the community effort with the late Dr. Don Minter, who practiced family medicine for over 40 years. They worked closely with former Goshen Parks Superintendent Sheri Howland to set up an ongoing grant program that would continue to grow for generations to come.
“This enormous gift represents a recognition that caring for the whole health of a community requires long-term commitment with attention to the living environment around us,” Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, City of Goshen Director of the Department of Environmental Resilience and City Forester, said. “The initial investment will be dwarfed by the value of these benefits over time.”
Originally, the Trail of Hope honored patients who lived five years or more after a cancer diagnosis. The program quickly expanded and became part of Goshen’s emerging urban forest.
Today, Goshen’s Trail of Hope extends canopy beyond the millrace with more than 56 species planted along miles of walkways, biking trails and traffic corridors. It links together parks, schools, libraries, neighborhoods and downtown destinations.
The Trail of Hope is a gift for everyone who lives, works, plays or visits the area. Live well, Goshen.
Goshen Center for Cancer Care
takes a personal approach to cancer care to heal the whole person, not just treat the disease. Integrated therapies support conventional treatments to minimize side effects, optimize treatment outcomes and assist the body's natural healing process.
