On Saturday, August 23, the Ossining Community Garden of Dreams Legacy Center (OCGDLC) hosted the Grand Rising of Dream’s Garden at 50 Spring Valley Road, Ossining. This ceremonial groundbreaking and soft opening marked the second milestone in OCGDLC’s journey to create a sanctuary of healing justice, remembrance, and community empowerment.
The event followed OCGDLC’s Earth Day celebration in April, when co-founders Diana E. Lemon and Lauren Green first welcomed the community to tour the newly acquired 2.9-acre property. Together, the two milestones demonstrate OCGDLC’s commitment to transforming the land into a permanent hub for wellness, healing justice, horticultural therapy, and intergenerational learning.
“Dream Shepherd was a remarkable young woman whose spirit of connection and positivity left a lasting mark on the Ossining community,” said NYS Senator Peter Harckham. “Her legacy now lives on through the Ossining Community Garden of Dreams Legacy Center, a beautiful public space that fosters wellness, social interaction, and environmental stewardship. Congratulations to Diana Lemon and Lauren Green on this inspiring achievement and meaningful tribute to Dream.”
OCGDLC was established in honor of Diana’s daughter, Dream Ioni Shepherd, who passed away on August 21, 2021 with Osteosarcoma. Despite her health challenges, she carried a deep passion for home healthcare, dedicating her voice and heart to raising awareness around the importance of quality care within the community through the NYS passage of Dream’s Law and the Shepherd Patterson Legislation.
In December 2021, the Village of Ossining honored her with a street named in her memory, ensuring her legacy continues to inspire future generations. During the soft opening of OCGDLC, Dream’s ashes were laid to rest within a beautifully crafted monument in the garden—cementing her presence in the very space created to reflect hope, healing, and community as Legacy Founder Dream Shepherd wished for.
“I was so happy to be in attendance for the Grand Rising of Dream’s Garden, and to have the opportunity to see how the vision for this space is coming to life. It is a beautiful space, inspiring healing and hope, and a fitting tribute to Dream Shepherd, who lived her life to the fullest and accomplished so much in the time she had on Earth. I am sure that Dream is looking over this place with pride,” said Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg
Highlights from this transformative day included the Opening Ceremony and Dream Shepherd’s Way Activation, led by co-founders Diana Lemon and Lauren Green. Dream’s Garden was honored by the presence and support of U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler, NYS Senator Peter Harckham, NYS Assembly Member Dana Levenberg, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, Westchester County Legislator Emiljana Ulaj, Ossining Town Supervisor Elizabeth Feldman, Dr. Ray Sanchez (Superintendent of Tarrytown School District), and Thomasina Laidley Brown (Former Ossining Democratic Chair).
In recognition of the day’s significance, Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins officially declared August 23, 2025, as “Dream’s Garden Day” in Westchester County, honoring the Grand Rising and the legacy of Legacy Founder Dream Ioni Shepherd (posthumously), along with co-founders Diana E. Lemon and Lauren E. Green.
“Dream’s Garden is more than a physical space — it is a living testament to resilience, remembrance, and the transformative power of community,” said Diana E. Lemon, Co-Founder and CEO of OCGDLC.
“This land has been waiting for a moment like this—to love and to be loved. We wanted to give our community a true homecoming, where harmony is woven into every step, every breath, every exchange. The energy was palpable,” added Lauren Green, Co-Founder and Executive Director of OCGDLC.
With the success of the Earth Day celebration and the Grand Rising, core programming at Dream’s Garden is set to begin in Fall 2025. The inaugural programs will include Horticultural Therapy (using gardening as a tool for wellness and healing), Farm to Table (cultivating food justice and sustainable nutrition practices), Garden 101 (teaching the fundamentals of growing and tending the earth), and Soil to Soul (connecting spiritual, ancestral, and environmental stewardship).
The continued growth of Dream’s Garden relies on active community investment and sustained political support. OCGDLC calls on residents, partners, and elected officials to join in bringing this vision to its fullest expression—through landscape design, capital improvements, and long-term programming that will serve generations to come. In the years ahead, the co-founders look forward to seeing the dream fully realized, as the landscape architect’s master plan blossoms into a living sanctuary of unity, healing, and legacy.
As a hub, OCGDLC transcends political party lines, affirming that true healing must occur in oneness. Dream’s Garden belongs to everyone — a living sanctuary of unity where community, wellness, and justice grow side by side.
For the full details of the day, please click here.
