Group hammock in Boalsburg aims to bring community together safely during pandemic

A local project is providing a safe way for community members to gather, relax and socialize during the COVID-19 pandemic. Called the Communitree, it’s a group hammock that can hold up to 10 people, all while maintaining social distancing.

Mariele Schechter, of State College, came up with the idea for the project.

“The goal of the project is to encourage our community to quite literally hang out with people who may be different from them,” Schechter said. “It’s an attempt to have people embrace diversity and start valuable conversations. I hope it gives people the chance to meet.”

The Communitree includes eight wooden posts; one in the center and seven on the outside in the shape of a circle. People can clip in their own hammocks or hammocks will be available for anyone to use. All hammocks are 6 feet apart to allow for social distancing.

“What’s really cool about the Communitree is that it’s pretty symbolic,” Schechter said. “The center pole is what holds everyone together and everyone is plugged into the center pole. For me, I see that as a symbol that we’re all holding each other up.”

Schechter began working on the community hammock initiative back in 2018. However, she ran into some obstacles with finding a location. Though it took two years of planning, Schechter says the timing of the final product couldn’t be better.

“With COVID and with the Black Lives Matter movement going on, the Communitree is socially distant, but it’s also about diversity,” Schechter said. “So I really can’t imagine a better time for this project to bloom.”

The Communitree is located at Harvest Fields, owned by Calvary Church, in Boalsburg. It is surrounded by ponds, hiking trails and a Frisbee golf course. The group hammock will be available from sunup to sundown seven days a week. It is open to the public.

The wood for the project was donated by Penns Valley Building Supplies. Schechter was also awarded a $1,000 grant from 3 Dots to pay for upkeep and maintenance. 3 Dots is an organization that promotes the arts and funds community initiatives in the Centre Region.