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Stems: A Garden Soirée 5 Years of Wine & Roses
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Honorary Chairs Steve & Wanda Wilkinso
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Steve & Wanda Wilkinson will serve as the Honorary Chairs of Stems 2012. This is most fitting as Steve and Wanda courageously stepped up to serve as Co-Chairs of the very first Stems. Stems owes a great deal of our success to these two wonderful people who have served in leadership roles all five years.
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Co-Chairs Ken & Nancy Mellard and Rich & Marga Spangler
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No stranger to Stems, Co-Chairs this year will be Ken & Nancy Mellard and Rich & Marga Spangler. Ken & Nancy served as Area Chairs with the Wilkinsons for two years. Marga has served both as an Area Chair and a Sponsorship Chair. We welcome this foursome's energy,
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Getting Hungary?
Stems is known for its great food and this year will not disappoint. Following is the list of restaurants that will be ready to treat you on June 23.
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Arboretum Show Home
This year we will be adding something a little extra to Stems, in addition to hosting our patron party, Rockwood Falls Estate has also made the Foundation beneficiary to proceeds from the Show Home. The $1.7 million French Provincial inspired home is being built by award winning builder Jeff Ashner and is scheduled to be completed June 21st.
The fully furnished home by noted interior designer Janet Alholm will be open to the public for touring beginning on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. June 29 thru Sunday July 15, 2012. All proceeds for touring the home and donations will go towards the Train Garden at the Arboretum. Tickets are priced at $10, purchase your Show Home Ticket with your Stems Ticket and receive $2 off the price, or visit one of our sponsors after May 1st and pick up a $2 off coupon. Sponsors running promotional coupons include Seville Home, Capital City Bank, Aristocrat Motors, Wilson Lighting, the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Factory Direct Appliance, Kenny's Tile. The on-site construction webcam, floorplans, sponsor information and the calendar of upcoming events at the home are located on the website.
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Train Garden Update
 The pond was scheduled to be dug this month, however due to the rain digging is set to begin early next month, along with landscaping.
We are only $16,000 away from raising the $50,000 for the matching grant we received back in November. To make your gift online click here, to make your gift by check, make payable and mail to Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park, P.O. Box 26392, Overland Park, KS 66225. In the memo section, please write "Train Garden Match."
Phase I of the garden will be operational in late spring. We anticipate a ribbon cutting ceremony sometime in May, so look for more information in next month's newsletter.
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Upcoming Events
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Farmstead opens April 1 The Arboretum Spring Plant Sale kicks off Thursday, May 3rd with a Friends Only Preview Sale from 4-7 p.m. and opening up to the public May 4th and 5th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Why I Gave
 By Georgia Erickson When my husband Dick passed away, I wanted to honor him by making his long-term dream come true--to build a Rose Garden at the Arboretum. While it was his dream, it was something that I would enjoy also. This would be an expensive project, so I thought it would serve my family best by making a planned gift. By making this commitment, I will be able to be part of the planning process and enjoy knowing I was making it happen, after I'm gone. Want to learn more about how to make a planned gift to the Arts & Recreation Foundation? The Friends of Art will be hosting a brief introduction to planned giving on Thursday, April 5, 7:30 pm, Tomahawk Ridge Community Center, 119th & Lowell in Overland Park. After a brief explanation of planned giving, guests will be treated to a presentation by Kwan Wu. |
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We are proud to announce Teresa Stohs, Executive Director, has been
inducted into the sixth annual class of Influential Women. This prestigious award recognizes 32 of Kansas City's most successful women who are committed to mentoring, personal growth and community involvement. Teresa and other winners are profiled in the March issue of KC Business and were recognized at an exclusive cocktail reception held earlier this month.
Teresa joins the ranks of nearly 150 accomplished women leaders who work in the corporate, non-profit, artistic and entrepreneurial communities in Kansas City. Teresa was recognized as the first-ever Executive Director for the foundation in 2007, her ability to network and fund raise successfully, and let's not forget launching Stems over 4 years ago, which hails as one of the best parties in Kansas City. We are all grateful for her vision and leadership. Congratulations Teresa!
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Thoughts From the President
Greetings Friends!
The Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park is committed to our Vision, Mission, and supporting structural goals and objectives. Having a compelling Vision with a clear roadmap how to achieve it is essential to attracting and retaining committed donors, volunteers, staff, visitors, and very capable board members. All of our stakeholders must be compelled by powerful narratives of purpose, intentions, strategies, tactics, practices, actions and tasks to bring about the outcomes essential to and consistent with our shared Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Key Strategies, which are: Vision: - Recreational, cultural, and artistic enrichment, enjoyment, education and inspiration for present and future generations
Mission: - Provide and promote art, recreation, nature, education, and culture that build community and enhance the quality of life
Core Values: - Stewardship - Protecting and preserving the vision, mission, reputation and assets of the Foundation and the resources of our city through leadership, accountability, informed decision-making and fiscal responsibility.
- Integrity - Earning trust by honoring donor intent and building relationships based on honesty, respect, dedication, doing what is best for the common good, and follow-through.
- Collaboration - Committing to cooperation through teamwork, partnerships, communication, use of best practices, and joint promotion of activities and programs.
- Community - Building strong relationships, valuing volunteers, listening to our stakeholders, creating ownership and engaging the entire community.
Key Strategies - Fundraising and Financial Accountability
- Promotion (marketing and communication)
- Programs & Projects
- Leadership Development
- Partnerships
- Fine Arts
Our Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Key Strategies have enabled us to make a difference in our community and make Overland Park a better place to live. If this is an outcome you share, would like to know more about, or want to participate in, please contact me. Regards,  Russell C. Simmons President |
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