Specially Gifted Foundation embraces every opportunity to meet with organizations that share the same values and serve similar communities. When SGF Co-Founder Macey Price first heard about The Sweet Cocoon, it became a goal to meet with the founder and learn more about their mission. If you live in or near the Rome, Georgia community, there’s a chance you have heard of The Sweet Cocoon. If not, please allow us to introduce you to this incredible organization that we are sure you will fall in love with, just as we did.
What is The Sweet Cocoon?
The Sweet Cocoon is a nonprofit organization founded by Amanda Bohannon. Nestled on 20 beautiful acres in Rome, Georgia, it will serve as a retreat for disabled and seriously ill children and their families.
Once complete, these families will have an opportunity to relax and enjoy one another while soaking up all that The Sweet Cocoon has to offer at no cost to the family. Amanda and her family know all too well how difficult it is to take a vacation when you have a disabled and chronically ill child. Her hope is that they will be able to temporarily forget the daily struggles they live with, even if for a few days.
How the Journey Began and Where They are Today
The Sweet Cocoon is a dedication to Amanda’s daughter, Marlowe, who was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome at age 4. This was the beginning of the journey that would eventually lead Amanda to The Sweet Cocoon. Amanda felt the calling to build a place of respite for families like hers in the months leading up to Marlowe gaining her wings at age 18. Amanda knew this day would come eventually, and she wanted to honor Marlowe’s memory in a special way.
The inspiration behind the name came from a poem she wrote to Marlowe when she turned 17…
You are a precious caterpillar
Wrapped in a sweet cocoon
Who emerged a beautiful butterfly
In Heaven way too soon
The retreat is still being built, with new features being added as funding comes in and as volunteers are available. In the meantime, The Sweet Cocoon already serves as a sacred space for families to get away and gather together while enjoying the outdoors. Everything about this place is perfect for hosting birthday parties, or even a picnic, without worrying about accessibility and crowded public areas.
What you can Expect to see at The Sweet Cocoon
One of the things you notice immediately as you enter the property is the pops of color everywhere. The drive is lined with posts that look like oversized colored pencils. As you drive around to the pavilion, you will see boulders that have been hand painted to look like animals. There is a wheelchair ramp leading up to the pavilion that was painted by SGF mom Casey Nash, and the pavilion itself is covered in murals painted by local college students. Picnic tables are scattered throughout the area and are beautifully decorated by local artists. Floyd County Corrections also donated 2 handcrafted Adirondack chairs and a table to be enjoyed by all visitors.
Recently, they added a swing hanging from a dome frame that can be enjoyed by several kids at once, or one child can lay on it. One of my personal favorite features, other than all of the vibrant colors, is the adult sized changing tables that can be found in the bathrooms. Amanda’s goal is to make the entire property wheelchair accessible, and she has already incorporated a high-quality wheelchair accessible path for visitors to use as they explore.
The thought that has gone into the development and design of this property is heartwarming; Amanda, her family, and their community have poured their hearts into this place and it shows. We are thankful to see Amanda’s vision come to life and beyond excited for the families that will benefit from The Sweet Cocoon.
SGF’s Partnership with The Sweet Cocoon
Specially Gifted Foundation had the pleasure of attending a birthday celebration for one of our beloved SGF Kiddos, Parker, at The Sweet Cocoon this summer. This was the first time we had an opportunity to visit the property and we were immediately impressed by the artwork and accessible design.
Thanks to Parker’s birthday party, we were able to discuss ways to bring our SGF Gifted Families out to The Sweet Cocoon. Amanda told us about her idea of hosting a movie night out in the pasture. We loved the idea and decided to schedule a meeting to work out the details.
With all of our resources combined, we will now join The Sweet Cocoon in hosting a Specially Spooky Halloween Movie Night for families with children who have disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. We cannot wait to enjoy a night of trick or treating, campfire treats, and a special movie feature with this incredibly special community we all serve.
This is just the beginning of a beautiful partnership! It is a blessing to see the impact of Amanda’s hard work spread like wildfire throughout our communities and we love being able to share it with our SGF families.
