As Jen continues to build up her strength, she has her sights set on returning home to Indianapolis.  In the meantime, she’s making the most of her time in Durham by checking out more local sights.  She recently took a drive to Wilson, North Carolina (not far away) to visit the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. You may be wondering “what is a whirligig park”?  It’s an art park with 50-foot-tall sculptures made of recycled industrial materials that move in the wind, along with a nice walking path.  The official Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park website describes the park as a “one-of-a-kind art park that provides fascinating artistic, educational, and recreational opportunities at the intersection of art and science”.  You may also be wondering “who was Vollis Simpson”?  Mr. Simpson was a farm machinery repairman who began making gigantic kinetic sculptures at his family farm in Wilson County when he was nearing retirement age.  The New York Times described Simpson as “a visionary artist of the junkyard…who made metal scraps into magnificent things that twirled and jangled and clattered when he set them out on his land.” In 2013 the whirligigs were named North Carolina’s official folk art.  Jen found a real gem here—the perfect place to stretch her legs.

Speaking of legs and walking… Jen’s walking stamina improves by the day, which means she is using the rollator a little less for short walks. She anticipates preparing to transition to Indy for further rehab and recovery very soon! 

Continued thanks for supporting COTA in honor of Jen.  The partnership with COTA has made Jen’s entire transplant process so much easier.  

Onward!