Love in Bloom
By Suzie Swyden,
FOTA Coordinator
 
    Romance is in bloom at the Arboretum. Among the flowers that come and go there is now a permanent monument to a young couple's love.
    Tyler Svancara and Jordan Kalal met seven years ago while they were in high school. They had their first date at the Arboretum and walked the back trails frequently during their courtship. On their second visit they stopped at a bench to sit. From that point on, they called it "the bench" and always sat there. Soon they were off to college, but they came back to visit "the bench" when time allowed.
    Tyler presented a Christmas gift to Jordan during their time home from K-State at "the bench." Both are working young professionals now. In March the Arboretum received a call with a specific request about naming a bench. It was Tyler. He wished to name a bench through Friends of the Arboretum with a message to Jordan for a 24th birthday surprise. That beautiful birthday in March, Tyler planned a picnic at the bench to wish Jordan a happy birthday. The bench was now theirs. The plaque was in place on the stone bench and read, "I'll love you until this bench crumbles. Forever and always. My Pretty Girl. T & J."
    That was just the beginning of the birthday surprise. Tyler proposed to Jordan and she said "Yes!"

     Readers may recall that Jordan's parents, now living in California, were highly recognized supporters of FOTA. Margaret Kalal was the chair of the Luminary Walk twice and received the Volunteer of the Year Award. John Kalal was an officer on the FOTA Executive Committee.
    There are many ways to make your celebratory sentiments permanent at the Arboretum. Opportunities include benches, Haake Celebration Terrace pavers, Adopt a Color Bed and a variety of other gifting opportunities. All gifts are tax deductible and support the mission of Friends of the Arboretum.
    For more information about donation opportunities, contact Suzie Swyden at fotacoordinator@yahoo.com





Arboretum 
to Celebrate 
Milestone

    Watch for events and activities coming in June to begin the year-long celebration of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens' 25th anniversary. 
 

Join Our Mailing List

Contact Information: 

 

Sonya Wright, FOTA Chair

 fotachair@gmail.com    

 

Volunteer Coordinators

Breanne Wasinger and Kim Alvarez 

VolunteerCoordinator@opkansas.org 

 

Suzie Swyden, FOTA Coordinator and Membership Inquiries

fotacoordinator@yahoo.com  

 

Send news and photos to

 judy@springvalleynursery.com 

 

Katharine Garrison,

Special Events & Education Coordinator

katharine.garrison@opkansas.org  

 

Commemorative Gift and

Donation Opportunities 

can be accessed online     

 

 

 

News from FOTA 
April 2015
Overland Park Arboretum
& Botanical Gardens
1/2 mile west of Hwy. 69
on 179th Street

913-685-3604 
 
2015 Spring Plant Sale 
Culminates April Events 
April 30 (FOTA Preview) from 4 pm to 7 pm
May 1 and 2 from 9 am to 5 pm
 

     The 2015 FOTA Plant Sale will feature native plants and butterfly host plants, annuals, sun and shade perennials (including daylilies and hostas), herbs, veggie plants, drought-tolerant succulents, and much more. Friends of the Arboretum members receive a 10% discount. If you're not a member, now's the smart time to Join FOTA! Join at any time during the sale and enjoy your member discount.
    In addition to the 10% discount, FOTA members get first pick of the plants during the preview night, April 30, from 4-7 pm. Enjoy fine appetizers and a glass of wine while socializing and shopping with other garden-minded FOTA members!
    The sale will feature annuals and veggie plants from Sullivan's Greenhouse in Cleveland, MO; perennials, native plants, herbs and small fruits from Vinland Valley Nursery in Baldwin, KS; hostas from Made in the Shade Gardens, Olathe, KS; and daylilies from Lois Hart, Louisburg, KS.
    We thank Betty Knackstedt for the preview night wine, and Stanley Station Liquor Store for donating beer flats for the convenience of our shoppers.

Other April Events Cap Off A Busy Month
    Between now and the end of April there is much happening at the Arboretum.


    For information about these events and to register where required, visit www.opabg.org and click on the Classes and Events button.

Education Committee Opportunities

By Bob Lane, Education Committee Chair

    One of the newer committees that volunteers can be involved with is the Education Committee. While only three years old, the committee hit the ground running. One of their first projects, a Tree Guide/Activity Book for children, was written using the Kansas State Board of Education's Science Standards. An immediate hit with teachers and kids, the booklet was honored to be selected to be used by the Kansas Department of Education's Summer Outdoor Exploration Program and is frequently used for school field trips or just individual families.
    Through the Education Committee, the Arboretum became the first organization in Kansas to partner with the National Phenology Movement and develop two of its trails for sites on which patrons can become Citizen Scientists and record observations of trees and plants on the NPN site for use by climatology scientists.
    The fledgling Docent program was initiated last year. Volunteers can go through a training process and then sign up to be hosts in one of three gardens: the Monet, the Erickson, or the Medicine Wheel/Wildflower. Arboretum guests were extremely positive about their appreciation for this program and found the Docents to be informative and helpful.
    A current project is the development of a booklet entitled "Our Favorite Trees," a self-guided tour of twenty-four trees along the walks in the botanical section of the Arboretum. As people walk the gardens they can view and read about the selected trees' unique qualities and interesting facts. This book should be available by early summer, but the information will be available Arbor Day for volunteers to give tours.
    The committee is very involved in the planning for the future Challenge Trail, a walk which will be accessible and educational for persons of all abilities. Preliminary planning has been taking place with the help of the Blue Valley Student Services Support Staff and the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. There is no other trail in existence exactly like this concept, so we are extremely excited about it and hope to gain funding soon for its planning.
    It is the Education Committee which developed the fun and fascinating offerings in the Visitor's Center on the nights of the various Moon Walks. The activities and displays were very well received by children from 5 to 95.
    The committee is always in need of additional volunteers to add a fresh perspective and to share the load. If the above projects sounded interesting and fun, you are welcome to come join us. We meet on the third Monday of every month at 3:00 p.m. in the EEVC. Contact the Volunteer Coordinators or Bob Lane at RlConsult@aol.com for further information.
FOTA Members Enjoy Reciprocal Privileges Near and Far

    The American Horticulture Society offers various ways to find a spectacular garden in any area of the country you plan to visit. Choose from a searchable map of over 200 gardens, the state-by-state directory, or a printable list online at:
    We suggest that you contact any garden that you are planning to visit, as gardens do have a variety of reciprocal offerings. Admission saved by using the reciprocal privileges more than pays for your FOTA membership! Shown here is just one of the gardens that FOTA members have visited using their FOTA membership card - the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri.