Ossining Community Garden of Dreams Legacy Center Hosts Joyous Earth Day Celebration and Tour of Newly Acquired Property

OSSINING, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / May 22, 2025 / On a beautiful Earth Day morning, Diana Lemon and Lauren Green, Co-Founders of the Ossining Community Garden of Dreams Legacy Center (OCGDLC), hosted a joyous and inspiring look of their newly acquired 2.9-acre property at 50 Spring Valley Road in Ossining, New York. This land will soon become the home of a transformative community garden and wellness hub.

The occasion marked an exciting new chapter for the organization, which was created in honor of Dream Ioni Shepherd-Diana Lemon’s late daughter. Dream’s love for botany and advocacy work continues to inspire this mission rooted in community, growth, and healing.

Respected leaders from the City of Ossining were present to show their support, including:
• Victoria Cafarelli, Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg (Assembly District 95)
• Dr. Gayle Marchica, Former President of the Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce
• Althema Goodson, Ossining Public Library Board Trustee

Guests enjoyed speeches of gratitude and support from Diana Lemon and Lauren Green; a breakfast gathering; a guided walk through the property; and an opportunity to connect with the founders’ vision of creating a space centered on education, food justice, wellness, and youth & adult programming.

“We’re filled with gratitude and joy,” said co-founder Diana Lemon. “This was a vision Dream and I spoke about often. I know she’s smiling down on this accomplishment – it’s everything we hoped for and more.”

Dream Ioni Shepherd was a courageous teenager from Ossining, New York, who battled sickle cell anemia and later osteosarcoma with solid strength. At just 10 years old, after receiving a stem cell transplant from her mother, she and her mom advocated for improved home healthcare, leading to the passage of “Dream’s Law” in New York State. This legislation ensures that medically fragile patients receive proper at-home professional medical care following hospital discharge. In recognition of her advocacy and impact, the Village of Ossining honored her by naming a street “Dream Ioni Shepherd Way”.

“This garden is such a fitting legacy for Dream Shepherd and her too short but incredibly impactful life. Dream cared so much for others and was all about paying it forward, which is what this garden will do for our community. May the seeds of hope we plant here bloom and grow forever, nourished by the rays of the sun and Dream’s love showering down on us from Heaven.” States Assemblymember Dana Levenberg.

For more information on OCGDLC, visit the website at www.OCGDLC.org

For media inquiries, please contact:
Lynn Hobson
(347) 385-4092
LynnHobson@gmail.com

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SOURCE: MoneyLynn PR

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire