River's Way

05/01/2026

On Saturday, April 25th, River’s Way spent a wonderful day at Emory & Henry College with a student-led volunteer group that planned a full day of activities. The day included icebreakers, games, creative crafts, a beautiful walk around campus, and lots of laughter along the way.

One special part of the day was setting small, personal goals around healthy eating at lunch — simple choices like drinking water, adding fruit or vegetables, watching portions, or skipping dessert. Almost everyone followed through on their goal, which was such a powerful reminder of what can happen when people are encouraged, supported, and given the freedom to choose for themselves.

Programs like this are a win for everyone: meaningful experiences for our participants, leadership opportunities for college students, and a much-needed day of respite for families.

Big thanks to the Emory & Henry students for making the day so special!

04/23/2026

Thank you so much Alpha Metallurgical Resources employees!

At the end of March, several members of our Bristol team spent a day volunteering with the River's Way organization. Together, we built and installed flower beds at the Viking Garden, cleared rocks and weeds, and prepared the soil for planting.

It was a rewarding day full of hard work and fun. Thank you to River’s Way for being such wonderful hosts and making the day so enjoyable! We’re grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact!

03/04/2026

Rehearsals for "American TALL Tales" move from the YMCA of Bristol to Theatre Bristol today! Each year, River's Way starts rehearsals at the Y in January and moves to the Theatre Bristol ARTspace stage a couple weeks before the performance. Thank you to our friends at the Y for helping us rehearse!

"American TALL Tales," written and directed by Dottie Havlik, is less than two week away from opening! Make sure to reserve your tickets soon at theatrebristol.org/tickets.

03/04/2026

Congrats to the cast and crew of "American TALL Tales" on a standing ovation at their opening performance! There are two more chances to see this River's Way and Theatre Bristol collaborative production full of laughs and legends!

Show tonight at 5:30 pm and tomorrow at 2:30 pm. Tickets at the door or at www.TheatreBristol.org/tickets.

Director: Dottie Havlik
Props: Rebecca Ryan, Juwan Herbert, and Theatre Bristol
Set: Theatre Bristol

03/04/2026

Congratulations to the cast and crew of "American TALL Tales" for inspiring us with stories about our country and moving us to standing ovations at every show! Remembering American legends and heroes was a fun way to celebrate our ninth annual River's Way and Theatre Bristol production!

A very special thank you to playwright and director Dottie Havlik, as well as to assistants Camille Gray and Matt Kyle, stage managers Ann Vance and Robert Havlik, all the River's Way assistants, musician Richard Albright, and the set and prop teams: Albert Tester, Tony DeVault, Michael Trotter-Lawson, Rebecca Ryan, Debbie DiFrancesco, Juwan Herbert, and Steve Herbert.

Thank you to our season sponsors for making opportunities like these and our 61st Season possible: City of Bristol TN, Explore Bristol, Tennessee Arts Commission, the United Company Foundation, the McGlothlin Foundation, Citizens Bank, and the Massengill-DeFriece Foundation.

01/16/2026

Our Cafe Central Spring 2026 menu is now posted!

We also have a new simplified sign-up process in 2026.

Follow the link below or visit our website (www.riversway.org) to sign up for lunch and view the full menu with specified dates.

Cafe Central is open to the public and teaches valuable work skills to high school students with differing abilities. This program is made possible by our partners at Central Christian Church. All lunches are a suggested donation of $7 to cover food and supplies, and dine-in and take-out options are available. Lunch starts at 12:00 noon at Central Christian Church on specified dates. We hope to see you there!

https://riversway.dm.networkforgood.com/emails/sample-48e9963a-4862-48ca-9f62-0748acf0e059

01/16/2026

You can view our 2025 Annual Report by following the link below:

https://riversway.dm.networkforgood.com/emails/sample-915e7b58-6859-43e0-859c-36c7c27c2125

12/29/2025

In 2025, the Game Changers at our YMCA fitness program were presented with a big goal. Our Executive Director, Matt Kyle, noticed how many sugary drinks were being consumed and presented a challenge to the group:

Can you drink 1,000 bottles of water?

At first, the goal felt big—maybe even a little unrealistic—but once the reward was announced, hesitation turned into excitement. Throughout the year, every single Game Changer in our program participated. They encouraged each other, carried personal water bottles, tracked progress, and celebrated milestones along the way. Some even started drinking more water at home and proudly reporting back the next day. For many in our programs, making healthy choices independently is a meaningful step toward greater confidence and independence.

Of course, the challenge came with a twist. Jesse “Beefcake” Nunley summed it up best when he declared,

“I want to see Matt Kyle look like a fool in the pool!”

Matt agreed, and the Water Challenge was officially on 🌊

When the goal was met several months ago, River’s Way hosted a pool party at the YMCA—pizza, swimming, and all. And yes, true to his word, Matt jumped into the pool fully dressed for work (Swipe right to see the video)

The splash got the laughs, but the real win was watching the Game Changers conquer a goal and make healthier choices.

Consider giving a gift to River's Way this holiday season as part of our Annual Giving campaign and support youth and young adults with differing abilities in our programs (tinyurl.com/give2rw)

12/29/2025

In 2025, the Game Changers at our YMCA fitness program were presented with a big goal. Our Executive Director, Matt Kyle, noticed how many sugary drinks were being consumed and presented a challenge to the group:

Can you drink 1,000 bottles of water?

At first, the goal felt big—maybe even a little unrealistic—but once the reward was announced, hesitation turned into excitement. Throughout the year, every single Game Changer in our program participated. They encouraged each other, carried personal water bottles, tracked progress, and celebrated milestones along the way. Some even started drinking more water at home and proudly reporting back the next day. For many in our programs, making healthy choices independently is a meaningful step toward greater confidence and independence.

Of course, the challenge came with a twist. Jesse “Beefcake” Nunley summed it up best when he declared,

“I want to see Matt Kyle look like a fool in the pool!”

Matt agreed, and the Water Challenge was officially on 🌊

When the goal was met several months ago, River’s Way hosted a pool party at the YMCA—pizza, swimming, and all. And yes, true to his word, Matt jumped into the pool fully dressed for work (Swipe right to see the video)

The splash got the laughs, but the real win was watching the Game Changers conquer a goal and make healthier choices.

Consider giving a gift to River's Way this holiday season as part of our Annual Giving campaign and support youth and young adults with differing abilities in our programs (tinyurl.com/give2rw)

12/18/2025

Rebekah showed up to River’s Way unsure of what to expect—but she left with something powerful: belonging. Through hard work, dedication, encouragement, celebration, and consistent support from staff and friends, she rebuilt her confidence and found the courage to keep moving forward and thrive.

Rebekah's story is the kickoff to River’s Way’s 2025 Annual Giving Campaign, and it’s one we’re proud to share. Your generosity helps create spaces and opportunities where young people with differing abilities can thrive, grow, and contribute to their community.

Read Rebekah’s story here: https://riversway.dm.networkforgood.com/emails/sample-77ef58c7-6500-47e7-8e23-34bf8dc98b30)

and see the impact you create when you support River's Way. We love this quote from Rebekah:

“Don’t let your disability define who you are. And don’t let it limit you.”