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Chair's Corner...
By Dennis Patton
Executive Committee Chair
 Admission fees are coming to the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens starting January 1, 2013. At this time the Overland Park City Council is still in the process of determining the fee structure. I realize that the implementation of a fee at the Arboretum is greeted with mixed reaction. Some are opposed, while others feel that it is a much needed step in achieving the master plan for the beloved property that has been in place for over 20 years.
No matter your stance, it is the hope of the Friends of the Arboretum Executive Committee that you continue to visit and support the Arboretum. We hope that if you truly do love and value the Arboretum that, with time, you will understand the need to implement a fee structure. Remember that by purchasing a membership in the Friends of the Arboretum organization, your admission will be free no matter how often you visit. We are waiting on the City to set the entrance fees before we establish our membership rates.
The revenue that is generated by memberships is returned to the Arboretum to help continue its development. For example, the Train Garden is under construction and FOTA has donated $100,000.00 for the Depot that will soon be built in the garden. It is our hope that this structure will provide a much needed respite on a warm sunny day and become a new meeting spot. FOTA funds have also helped build the Environmental Education Visitor's Center (EEVC), the Welcoming Garden at the entrance, and Serenity Point.
Once the admission fees are in place a FOTA membership will have more value than ever. Up to this point joining FOTA was primarily a donation to help in the development of the Arboretum. Now it will provide you with access to the grounds without paying an admission fee. As the FOTA committee develops a new membership structure, there will be various levels and numbers of individuals that can attend as a member's guest with no fees.
We want to thank everyone for their comments during this period of change at the Arboretum. Together we can help build an attraction to make us even more proud of our community -- another reason we're fortunate to call this area home.
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 Train Garden News...
The Train Garden committee is working on the final design plan for the Depot, the eventual centerpiece of the Train Garden, which will function as a shelter house and meeting place for visitors. The goal is to have this second phase of the garden completed in time for Arts for Kids September 29-30.
There is still $12,465 left to match on our matching grant. We're waiting to hear about a $50,000 grant from the Johnson County Heritage Trust Fund for Phase III, a garden scale replica of Old Town Overland Park.
Volunteers who are interested in working in the Train Garden may email Phyllis Merrick or call 913-685-3604 to volunteer. |
Photo Contest
Third place winner (adult category) in the most recent photo contest was Mary Elizabeth Eaker, with this pastel image of the Monet Garden taken last spring.
The photo contest has been put on hold for now, but if you have a great picture you would like to submit for this online newsletter, the FOTA website or Facebook page, they can be emailed to: arboretumphotocontest@gmail.com
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July Concert Series Postponed
The July music series has been suspended due to unusually high temperature forecasts. FOTA is looking forward to providing a future music series during more comfortable weather conditions and at a time that suits more families' needs....so stay tuned!
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FOTA Chair Dennis Patton:
Dennis.Patton@jocogov.org
Volunteer Coordinator Phyllis Merrick:
VolunteerCoordinator@opkansas.org
FOTA Coordinator Suzie Swyden:
fotacoordinator@yahoo.com
Send photos and news to:
judy@springvalleynursery.com
Commemorative Gift and
Donation opportunities can be accessed online. If you are interested in the Friends of the Arboretum "Planned Giving" program, please contact Teresa Stohs.
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The Arb / July 2012
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
1/2 mile west of Hwy. 69
at 179th & Antioch
913-685-3604
www.opabg.org
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Volunteers Put in Many Hours, Hard Work
Arboretum staff is doing a fabulous job of keeping the gardens looking great, in spite of the heat and drought. It's a grueling job, but they have lots of help from a dedicated group of volunteers who work in the gardens each week. Other volunteers work in many other capacities throughout the year, from greeting visitors to organizing and running special events.
If you would like to become part of this essential program at the Arboretum, the next New Volunteer Orientation is Saturday, August 25 from 9 to 11am. It is free, but registration is required -- click here to register.
In 2011, Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners put in a total of 4,522 hours in the Monet Garden. As part of the Adopt-A-Garden program, Midland Loan Services volunteers worked 199 hours and CyDex Pharmaceuticals contributed 25. Individual hours are listed below, for a grand total of 26,021 volunteer hours. That's a lot of hours, folks!
200 hours or more: Judy Moser (784), Teri Shields (775), Charlie Cormier (618), Carol Saxon (444), Karen Haake (396), Karin Winn (350), Tanya Litke (315), Sandy Peterson (305), Charlie Loftus (292), Chuck Garrett (275), Nancy Heiser (272), Lenora Wuattoux-Ray (260), Jorge Carballeira (257), Carolyn Dewey (250), Don Tetzlaff (242), Bob Lane (232), Margaret Kalal (225), Ron Lomax (222), Sandy Garrett (219), Leon Smith (217), Dave Gerrasch (211), and Nancy McCreery (201).
 | | Volunteer Georgia Erickson helps a child at the Touch-A-Truck event in Overland Park. Photo by Louise Eisenbrandt |
100 - 199 hours: Ken O'Dell (190), Virginia McKenzie (184), Jo Long (169), Hugh McCreery (169), Warren Thomas (166), Karen McNerney (166), Aphrodite Platko (160), Karen Clayton (157), Carol Fowler (155), Laura Ross (152), Carole Dean (144), Renee Macphearson (134), Mary Moreau (134), Sue Davidson (132), Caroline Bromley (126), Georgia Erickson (125), Ann Wedeman (124), Andra Chase (122), Celeste Gogel (119), Milton Noelken (117), Margaret Maher-Williams (113), Bonnie Gwin (112), Nancy Vaughan (111), Anne Schurman (111), Suzie Swyden (110), Mike Harris (109), Dave Shackelford (109), Cindy VanHooser (107), Philip Petzold (106), Steven Lee (102).
 | | Volunteers maintain the Monet Garden. Photo by Carly Hudson |
30 - 99 Stacey Gilman (99), Peggy Kupfer (96), Anne Byrd (95), Gayle Loya (95), Collyn Peterson (93), Phil Brown (92), Julia Vieg (92), David Sinzheimer (91), Wayne Shields (90), Bette Stockdale (89), Ellen Morh (88), Lola Harrington (87), Charyl Singer (87), Mary Kieffer (86), Frank Reichart (86), Gail Taliaferro (85), Bob Potty (84), Sonya Wright (84), Karl Yehle (84), Michele Sevcik (84), John Kalal (81), Terri Miller (79), Bill Werner (79), Ginny Wirtz (79), Susan Smith (77), Bud Tolman (76), Lori Cross (74), Judy Moecker (73), Janet Reedy (73), Joan Sprenger (83), Linda Harmon (71), Ginger Maas (71), Dale Jenkins (71), Lila Martin (70), Herb Comstock (69), Bonnie McClellan (68), Phyllis Merrick (64), Nancy Williams (63), Terry LaRocco (62), David Curtin (61), Colleen Knight (60), Dennis Patton (60), Pat Winegartner (60), Brett Bauer (59), Alison Cioffi (59), Olive Schwartz (59), Lynda Ochs (58), David Munie (58), Haven Rolander (57), Larry Engelkemier (57), Janelle Farabi (55), Sharon Schakel (55), Pat Blanchat (53), David Letts (52), John Bosnak (51), Joseph Peuser (51), Jim Copling (deceased) (50), Tracy Williams (50), Laura Bosnak (49), Barbara Taswell-Miller (49), Dixie Wantoch (49), Betty Knackstadt (48), Rick Lausman (48), Sophie Lausman (47), Jerry Colwell (46), Sharon Justice (46), Glenda Swaffer (46), Don DeGeer (45), Mario Hernandez (45), Jerry Farley (45), Paula Yehle (44), Jim Holland (43), Dick DeVries (43), Bonnie Jenkins (42), Sharon Marshall (42), Jean Kruse (41), Dan Johnson (40), Rob Wimhurst (40), Russ Ackerman (39), Van Gibson (39), Larry Jiskra (39), Janet Thompson (39), Bob Fowler (39), James Pendergast (39), Jane Golub (38), Barnhard Arnold (38), Kathy Maggiore (38), Nell Hall (37), Trent Reed (37), Lakshmi Muddurama (36), Donna Anderson (35), Betty Rottinghaus (35), Laina Savage (35), Judy Folsom (deceased) (34), Lanna Shepherd (34), Mark Trefry (34), Tom Bruce (33), Jim VanHooser (33), Kathy Pendergast (33), Pat Pendergast (33), Becky Reed (32), Terry Sinclair (32), Rochelle Silvers (32), Don Grundy (31), Elizabeth Vinyard (31), Wayne Byrd (30), Saralynn Pace (30), and Bonnie Powell (30).
Half-hour totals are rounded up. Apologies for any omissions, and errors in math or spelling. Dozens of other volunteers not listed here contributed up to 30 hours.
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August Tours and Classes
Saturday, August 18 -- Open House on the Prairie, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, $5.00 per person. A walking tour of the prairie restoration area on the south side of the Arboretum property.
Tuesdays in August (21, 28) and September (4, 11, 18 and 25), 10:00 to 11:30 am, $48 for six classes. A "moving meditation" class held at the Amphitheater overlooking Margaret's Pond.
Saturday, August 25, 9:00 to 11:00 am. Learn about volunteer opportunities at the Arboretum, and sign up to be a part of this rewarding and productive team.
For more information on all these activities go to www.opabg.org
Register online by following the prompts at the website.
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Golf Tournament, BioBlitz, Arts for Kids...
Plans Underway for September Events
 The Council President's Arboretum Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Arboretum, will be held on Friday, September 21, at St. Andrews Golf Course. For more information go to the FOTA website, or email the event organizers directly at arboretumgolf@gmail.com.
Join scientists and nature lovers alike on September 29 to celebrate the diversity of life during the Arboretum's brand new event, the 2012 BioBlitz.
 Plans are under way for this very special nature event for adults and children 13 and older. Register online for an intensive one-day study of biodiversity. Participants will spend a fascinating day with a dozen experts in each field, identifying birds, insects, flowers, reptiles, trees, spiders and much more. For more information contact Event Chair Dan Johnson at gdj102356@hotmail.com. More information can also be found at www.opabg.org. To register online for the BioBlitz, Click Here.
The annual Arts for Kids event (for kids 2 - 12) will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30 from 11 to 4. Activities include nature crafts, hay rides, treasure hunts, music, dance, puppet theater, and face painting. For more information visit www.opabg.org. Tickets can be ordered online -- Click Here.
A scene from Arts for Kids 2011. Photo by Dave Shackelford
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