River's Way

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.”

12/03/2025

Join us this Friday for River’s Way Holiday Caroling ☃️❄️🎅🏻🎁🎄🦌

Come sing along, spread joy, and get into the holiday spirit with us at Whimsicals in the Bristol Renaissance Building. The program runs from 6:00–7:00pm, with the caroling beginning at 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome!

11/12/2025

Walktober 2025 — what a walk it was! 🚶‍♀️♥️💥
Thank you to everyone who joined us on the track, cheered from the sidelines, volunteered, sponsored, and helped make this celebration of inclusion and movement possible. Every smile, every step, and every high-five reminded us what community looks like in motion.

Walktober is all about inspiring our community to move their bodies more and improve our health, but it’s also about connection. It’s about seeing people of all abilities moving side by side, celebrating each other, and proving that when we come together, we go farther. From the volunteers and organizers, to the families and friends who showed up with heart, we’re grateful for each one of you.

Here’s to walking together—today, tomorrow, and all year long!

10/16/2025

Walktober is a little over a week away...

Matt and Sabrina went on WCYB today to promote the event and invite everyone to join River's Way for our 5th Annual Walktober!

River's Way Walktober event coming up October 25 in Bristol

09/24/2025

🚶‍♀️✨ Walktober is back! ✨🚶‍♂️

Join the River’s Way Game Changers—young adults with differing abilities who inspire over 1,400 students each year to stay active—for a free community walk!

📅 Saturday, October 25 | 9–11 AM

📍 Tennessee Middle School Outdoor Track

Enjoy walking with the Game Changers and our community partners, a dance party, prize giveaway, and more...

Can’t make it to the event? Support us by donating at riversway.org or by sharing this post! 💙