Colleagues, Family Members and Friends of CooperRiis

We are excited to let you know that on Sunday, the 17th of May, CBS Sunday Morning News, (9 AM EST) featured Don Cooper and Lisbeth Riis Cooper describing their ‘retirement lives’ and how they have found meaning in their tireless work creating CooperRiis, as a special place for individuals seeking to recover from serious mental illness and to make it the best there is and can be.  They were selected for this honor because CBS wanted to do a show on how some remarkable individuals are defining 'creative retirement'. Please click on the link below to watch the interview of this dynamic duo.. You may watch the video by clicking here.

(877) 480-RIIS (7447) -- please use this toll free phone number to contact us.

Regards,
Virgil Stucker, Executive Director

CBS Sunday Morning News Transcript:
Don and Lisbeth Cooper had all the retirement that money can buy. He'd been in finance, she was in fashion. They built the house of their dreams at the top of a mountain outside Asheville. And then reality intervened. Lisbeth wasn't satisfied with the care available for her daughter, Danielle, who's had bouts of mental illness. She suggested to Don starting their own mental health care facility.” And what did you say?" Teichner asked.” No way, Jose," Don said. Famous last words. Together they raised ten million dollars and built the not-for-profit CooperRiis Center which seems more like a working farm than a hospital.” We’re making a wonderful improvement in many people's lives, and it's been very rewarding," Don said. And they're still at it. ”This was 80 hours a week and still is because we're building a second center in Asheville," said Lisbeth. "Now, was this your idea of your retirement?" asked Teichner. "No, I had no clue," said Don.” He used to tell me he was bored," Lisbeth said. "He's not bored anymore.” No, indeed. Gone are the days when retirement meant the end. In Asheville, it's clear retirement is the beginning.

CooperRiis is a healing farm community in beautiful western North Carolina where individuals with mental illness and emotional distress learn new ways to improve functioning, gain independence and attain fulfillment in life through a comprehensive program that addresses mind, body and spirit.

If you would like to donate to the CooperRiis Annual Fund please click this link which will forward you to our secure on-line donations page.

Click here to visit the CooperRiis Contact Page for a listing of phone numbers, mailing address and directions to CooperRiis.

Click here for the CooperRiis Campus Gallery