News

Spirit Cove closes on Kanuga land

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 3, 2024

TimberKnolls Spirit Cove, a national nonprofit dedicated to emotional healing through animal-assisted therapy programs, completed the purchase of 16 acres from Kanuga Conferences Inc. on Dec. 29, a crucial step in its plans to start a therapy center and move its headquarters to the Evans Road property.

Specializing in the use of trained Newfoundlands, commonly known as "Newfies," TimberKnolls Spirit Cove extends its therapeutic support at no cost to veterans, military families, firefighters, EMS workers, doctors, nurses, teachers, children and adults battling serious illness and trauma. Since its inception in 2018, the program has positively impacted over 107,000 individuals nationwide, according to Lisa Schiller, president and co-founder of the organization.

"Our on and off-site programs provide hope and healing to those who are the backbone of our society, the caretakers and protectors, while actively working to reduce the stigma associated with therapeutic interventions," Schiller said. "We concentrate on enhancing resilience and promoting recovery by providing tools to alleviate anxiety and combat isolation through animal-assisted activities."

TimberKnolls Spirit Cove has submitted a special-use permit application for a 4.76-acre parcel. This designated area is poised to become the home of a state-of-the-art, 4,000-square-foot therapy center. Pending county approval, minimal removal of less than an acre of pines will make way for the center. On the remaining 11.24 acres of the site, TimberKnolls Spirit Cove plans to develop a six-acre pasture, a barn, and private, fenced residences for the organization's therapy animals and staff. The Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled to take up the request at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at the Henderson County building at 100 N. King St.

Neighboring homeowners in the Evans Road-Big Willow area who are organizing to oppose the zoning permit said in a news release that they had caught Spirit Cove's CEO removing yard signs that oppose the commercial use. A news release from one of the neighboring homeowners, Bruce Hatfield, said that residents spotted a motorist stealing yard signs on Friday afternoon. Hatfield identified the driver as Schiller. After residents called the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies who responded "retrieved three signs from Lisa Schiller’s vehicle" and returned them to one of the neighbors. The deputies advised Hatfield and Pat and John Newcomer that the situation was a matter that they would have to pursue in civil court, Hatfield said.

Schiller said the yard signs had been "illegally placed."

“Those signs were not on public property,” she said. “They were actually on private property. They were on the property that we had closed on. They were also on Kanuga’s property, blocking the gate which gives us access to our land, and Kanuga told us that was their land and we could remove it because it was blocking our access, which is not legal. So we removed them and when they made a scene about it we gave the signs back.”

Spirit Cove's programs primarily use specially trained Newfoundland dogs and Gypsy Vanner horses, creating serene settings in mountain landscapes or extending therapeutic activities to first responder stations, hospitals, schools, other nonprofit organizations, and private businesses.

Amelia is a trained therapy dog for Spirit Cove.Spirit Cove has partnered with the award-winning teams at Sitework Studios and Legerton Architecture to develop a master plan that aims to ensure responsible development and a commitment to protecting the environment and the natural rural beauty of Evans Road and the surrounding area, Schiller said.

During a recent gathering of TimberKnolls friends and supporters, Patti Sutherland, director of animal therapy and co-founder of TimberKnolls Spirit Cove, highlighted the suitability of Newfoundlands for animal-assisted therapy.

"They are known as 'gentle giants,'" she said. "Newfoundlands possess a quiet temperament and a natural ability to connect with individuals in need of healing and care, particularly those coping with illness or trauma."