Chair's Corner...
by Karen Haake
Cold, crisp days have been the norm lately, but the weather was beautiful the end of September for the very successful Arts for Kids weekend. Sunny skies and warm weather allowed participants of all ages to stay and enjoy the crafts, wagon rides, puppets, games, food and music throughout the day. Thanks to all the volunteers and especially co-chairs Stacey Gilman and Gail Keller for all their hard work in making this another great Friends of the Arboretum event.
A bright, calm day was the perfect setting for the annual golf tournament, held at the Overland Park golf course. Nine companies were FOTA sponsors for this event. Their generosity enables FOTA to continue supporting events and activities at the Arboretum. This years sponsors were: AT&T, Bayer Crop Science, Cretcher Heartland, Overland Park Chamber Economic Development Council, Overland Park Convention & Visitors Bureau, Quik Trip, Ritz Charles, Sheraton Hotels, and True North. Also one individual sponsor John Burgener. Thank you again for your support.
The next time you are at the Arboretum, be sure to come into the building and see all the new items on display. 1) A bird poster comprised of beautiful bird photos, in bright colors, labeled for easy identification. This was compiled and donated by John Bosnak, an avid bird watcher. 2) The photos from the recent contest are still available for viewing. See the Arboretum through the eye of the camera lens. 3) Model G-scale train cars and track will give the visitor an idea of just how big the trains in the new garden will be. If you would like to participate in the building of this garden, through donations of trains, money, talent or memorabilia, please contact the fotacoordinator@yahoo.com. The goal is to have trains running in 2011.
Fall is a great time to visit the Arboretum. Come take a walk, see the color pallet change. Visit the new Iris Garden and watch us continue to grow.
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2010 Photo Contest
Now Underway
Be thinking about your photo contest entries for 2010. Judges are always looking for great pictures taken in fall and winter. So bundle up, be brave, and look for the shot that no one else thought to capture. The Arboretum has a unique beauty in all seasons, at all times of day, and in all kinds of weather.
Pictured are two of the 2009 winning photos in the youth division: "Chained Beauty," by Kira Higgins and "Waterfall Features" by Devon McGowen.
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FOTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Karen Haake, Chair
Teri Shields, Vice Chair
Kathy Alspaugh, Secretary
Larry Engelkemier, Treasurer
Barbara Brand
John Kalal
Stacey Gilman
Dick Cromwell
Jim Holland
Margaret Maher-Williams
Shannon Corley & Nancy Yates,
ARFOP Liaisons to the Board
FOTA ADMINISTRATOR
Suzie Swyden
fotacoordinator@yahoo.com
FOTA VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS
Arts for Kids, Stacey Gilman & Gail Keller
Bird Committee, Sue Davidson
Bird Feeders, Bob Buehler
Eagle Scout Projects, Hugh McCreery
Garden Shows, Karen Haake
Greeters, Phyllis Merrick
Holiday Luminary Walk, Margaret Kalal
Membership, Barbara Brand
Photography, Carol Fowler
Plant Sale, Phyllis Merrick & Don Tetzlaff
Prairie Restoration, Chuck Garrett
Safety, Don Tetzlaff
Volunteer Tour Guides, Karin Winn
Weddings, Phyllis Merrick
FOTA eNEWSLETTER
Judy Moser, Editor
judy@springvalleynursery.com
ARBORETUM STAFF
Karen Kerkhoff, Supervisor
Kerry Williams, Horticulturist
Dianna Mahaney, Park Attendant
Jon Beuthin, Park Attendant
Phyllis Merrick & Cathy Lovetere,
Volunteer Coordinators
For additional information, call
the Arboretum 913-685-3604
Website: www.opabg.org
To rent an area of the Environmental
Education and Visitors Center,
Pavilion or Garden Areas, call
Leisure Services at 913-895-6390
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Tenth Annual
Holiday Luminary Walk
Will Kick Off Festive Season
It's hard to believe that this is the Tenth Annual Holiday Luminary Walk, but it is!
This year's event will be held on November 27 and 28 (Thanksgiving weekend) and again on December 4 and 5, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. each Friday and Saturday evening.
Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for kids 5 to 11. Children 4 and under are admitted free, and parking is free.
"Volunteers will light 10,000 candles this year over the four nights of the Luminary Walk," said event chair Margaret Kalal. "The display becomes more breathtaking every year, and visitors tell us they look forward to it as an enchanting way to launch their family's holiday season."
For those who enjoy an evening outside in spring, summer, and fall, this is an opportunity to add a unique winter Arboretum experience. In addition to the candlelit trails, the Luminary Walk features carolers and other live holiday music, festive light displays, and outdoor entertainment throughout. Santa Claus, bonfires, and refreshments add to the night-time fun. No pets please.
If you would like to volunteer to help with this year's event (and what could possibly be more fun!) please contact the volunteer coordinator.
For more information call 913-685-3604 or go to www.opabg.org.
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All Aboard...
The Train Garden Is On Its Way
By Teresa Stohs
The Arboretum's Train Garden received a boost in September from donor Lonnie Nixon of Longmont, Colorado. Lonnie and David Roberts, President of the Kansas City Garden Railway Society connected early this summer. That relationship culminated in the donation of an extensive LGB train collection and a cash gift which will give Lonnie and his wife Rebecca naming rights of the mountain located at the north end of the Train Garden.
When asked why he chose to make this donation to the Arts & Recreation Foundation, Lonnie responded, "It has always been my dream that my collection would be enjoyed by children. You've got some great people working on the Train Garden, people that will make sure it's done right."
David Roberts adds, "This is an exceptionally fine collection. Lonnie has unique and rare trains, including a circus train. The LGB brand is highly respected by collectors. This 150 year old German toy company actually started the G-scale size of trains."
Work is underway to prepare a pad for the caboose which is expected to be delivered and set in the next 60 - 90 days. Pictured above is an artist's rendering of the Train Garden plans.
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2009 Bluebird Report
by Milt Noelken
 Our bluebirds were the beneficiaries of a great deal of assistance again this year from a dedicated group of bird enthusiasts who keep a very close eye on dozens of nesting families throughout the season.
In this area bluebirds start the breeding season by building nests in mid-March. By early April, they start laying eggs at a rate of one per day until the final clutch size of, typically, 3 to 5 eggs is reached (bluebirds will have 1 to 3 clutches per breeding season). Then the females start incubating the eggs, which hatch in 12-14 days. This timing coincides with the availability of insects, which make up a major part of the food supply during the breeding season. During the next 16-22 days the birds reach a stage of maturation sufficient to allow them to fledge and learn to become independent of their parents. Over the next year, they become sexually mature and can participate in breeding.
 In 2009, the first egg was laid in the first week of April, with a total of 88 for the breeding season. This involved 24 nests laid in 15 of the boxes, 9 of the boxes being used twice. Seventy-three bluebirds fledged, with the last nest being vacated about August 24. These results are similar to those of last year, when 94 eggs were laid in 20 nests and 80 bluebirds fledged. In 2007, the first year of the trail, 50 eggs were laid in 15 nests and 46 bluebirds fledged. In addition to bluebirds, there were 6 titmice and 10 tree swallows born and fledged in 2009, and in the two previous years, black-capped chickadees and tree swallows.
The bluebird trail has dramatically increased the bluebird population at the Arboretum, thereby contributing to the large variety of birds already there. To find more information about this, the reader is encouraged to go to the Environmental Education and Visitors Center where a number of displays and books about birds are available.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
OCTOBER
24 Bird Walk 8 am
NOVEMBER 27-28 and DECEMBER 4-5
Tenth Annual Holiday Luminary Walk 5-8:30 pm *
* There is a fee for these events/classes.
Friends of the Arboretum receive a 10% discount.
Learn more about upcoming events at the Arboretum website.
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If you are having any technical difficulties with this newsletter, or if you have comments or suggestions, please contact Suzie Swyden at fotacoordinator@yahoo.com.
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