VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, and Youth Bee Works invite local media to attend a special beekeeping event

The event will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, July 28 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, providing an opportunity to meet Veteran participants, see the beekeeping process in action, and speak with partners who helped bring the program to life.

Now in its seventh week, the eight-week beekeeping course is a unique collaboration between the VANEOHS Whole Health and Innovations teams, the Botanical Garden and Youth Bee Works. The class introduces Veterans to the art and science of beekeeping as a form of wellness, community engagement and environmental stewardship.

Veterans participating in the program have not only learned hive care and honey production, but they have also found healing, purpose and connection. Media representatives in attendance will hear first-hand testimonials, have an opportunity for interviews, and receive a behind-the-scenes look at the hives and honey created through the program.

What: VANEOHS Beekeeping Program Media Day

When: Monday, July 28 at 1 p.m.

Where: Cleveland Botanical Garden

Who: VA Whole Health & Innovations Teams, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Youth Bee Works and participating Veterans

Visuals: Veterans in action tending to hives; jars of fresh honey 

Interviews: Veteran participants, VA staff and partner organization representatives of Cleveland Botanical Garden and Youth Bee Works

A variety of images and video B-roll will be available upon request to media organizations.

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ABOUT VA NORTHEAST OHIO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: Focusing on treating the whole Veteran through health promotion and disease prevention, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System provides comprehensive, seamless health care and social services for nearly 140,000 Veterans across Northeast Ohio. With 17 locations of care, including 12 outpatient clinics, two community resource and referral centers, a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center, a chronic dialysis center, and an outpatient surgery center, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System’s quality services are easily accessible to Veterans in 21 counties. VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System also contributes to the future of medicine through education, training, and research programs.

For more information about programs and services offered by VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, visit www.cleveland.va.gov or follow us on Facebook @ClevelandVAMC. 

About Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Forests & Gardens: Cleveland Botanical Garden, located in Cleveland’s University Circle cultural district, is an ever-changing 10-acre urban oasis where visitors find enrichment and inspiration through fabulous gardens, an exotic Glasshouse, and seasonal events. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is part of Holden Forests & Gardens along with the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. Holden Forests & Gardens is making an impact in Northeast Ohio through urban greening and forestry initiatives, environmental research, educational programs, and world-class visitor experiences at its two campuses. For more information, visit holdenfg.org.

Public Relations contact: Stacey Vaselaney, slvaselaney@slvpr.com 

ABOUT YOUTH BEE WORKS: Spreading the wonder of honey bees. Youth Bee Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission that seeks to educate, train, and bring awareness to people of all ages on the importance of honey bees and how they are essential to the environment and food industry.  To achieve this, YBW partners with a wide area of schools, organizations, individuals and corporate sponsors in setting up and maintaining beehives and providing educational classes. These hives provide awareness of the honey bee’s plight, a visual training ground, health benefits for participants, and help the environment with additional pollinators.  Information available at www.youthbeeworks.com.

Damien Horvath, Public Affairs Officer

Phone: