A ribbon cutting for the ‘Growing Resilience’ Able Table was held on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square.

By Ronni Newton

A dedication for a new picnic table was held on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in the Webster Walk courtyard of West Hartford’s Blue Back Square – but the Able Table is not your ordinary picnic table.

The idea for the table, and every step in its creation, was a collaborative effort between students who attended the Youth Wellness Navigator Training for Teen Leaders on Sept. 20, West Hartford’s Prevention Partnership, RiseUP for Arts, and the Department of Children and Families. The “Growing Resilience” table is intended to be a safe space for everyone, and also an accessible space with ample space for a wheelchair or stroller to pull right up to the table’s surface, and seats positioned so that a child can easily  sit on a parent’s lap.

Musicians from West Hartford Public Schools’ selective strings group, I Giovanni Soloisti, provided entertainment as a crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting.

Gretchen Levitz, prevention coordinator for the Town of West Hartford, noted that the table was designed by the students who brainstormed during the September training session, and the final design was created with the assistance of artist Julie Bergeron from RiseUp for the Arts. DCF and Youth Recovery CT funded the project, which Levitz said cost roughly $5,000.

“Recently West Hartford was recognized as a ‘Recovery Friendly Community,’ a reflection 0f our commitment to inclusivity,” Levitz said. “We celebrate the diversity and beauty that make up our town and we also acknowledge those in our community who are struggling. Here in West Hartford we firmly believe that there is a seat at the table for everyone,” she said.

Those words, in fact, are written along the surface of the table.

The imagery, Levitz added, were chosen during the leadership training session. “The cosmos flowers symbolize young people thriving despite challenges, while the blue sky and clouds offer a sense of freedom and peace, reminding us that prevention makes room for growth without the weight of future crises. The dandelions and seeds represent how even small actions can spread positive change throughout our community,” she said.

Anthony Hubbard, a student leader, said the table was more than beautiful craftsmanship and a nice place to sit. He said it represents “our town’s commitment to inclusion and community. It’s a symbol of togetherness, a place where people from all walks of life can gather … a spot where everyone gets a voice.” It’s also a creation of the youth of the community, who are taking an active voice in West Hartford’s future.

“This new place, this new spot in our town not only adds a cool new place to sit at, but truly embodies the message that in West Hartford, there’s a seat for everyone at our table,” he said, also echoing the message painted on the table’s surface.

“This is really important,” to her and to so many people, Mayor Shari Cantor said. “Able Table is such an important new landmark in our community and it represents the mosaic of individuals that we have in our community – all different people people facing all different challenges at different times.”

The level of student involvement is so important, she added, making the community a better place.

Kris Robles, a behavioral health clinical manager for DCF, said the attention should really be on Levitz and the kids who put their energy into this project. “Part of our work at the department is really investing in our community partnerships and collaboration is key to this work,” he said.

RiseUP for Arts has done many collaborations with the Town of West Hartford – including the MLK39 mural on the side of the library, and Executive Director Matt Conway thanked the town for believing in the concept of the “Able Table.”

The first two were installed recently in East Windsor, and there are now seven in the works, with the goal of having more than 100 in the next year, Conway said. The construction of the tables also provides an opportunity to create jobs for people with disabilities, and involvement of people from the communities in the painting of the tables.

A second Able Table will be installed in at the Gengras Center in West Hartford – which is Conway said is personally significant because it’s where his daughter, who passed away in 2022, went to school. There were so many places where he and his wife were unable to place his daughter’s wheelchair so she could be included, “so this really provides a solution, not only for wheelchairs but for strollers … and for teachers,” he said of the open space in the middle.

“Hopefully we can get many more around the town,” Conway added.

For more information about The Able Table and RiseUP for Arts, please contact Matt Conway at [email protected].

For more details about West Hartford’s Prevention Partnership, contact Gretchen Levitz at [email protected].

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