Friends of the Arboretum January Newsletter
Dear Friends,
The Friends of the Arboretum Advisory Board is looking forward to a brand new year of exciting activities, programs, and fun at your Arboretum. Let me first, introduce myself. My name is Mike Hopson and along with Nancy Jernberg will be serving as Co-Chairs of the Advisory Board this year. We have 16 returning members to our board, three new members (Mary Jones, Dan Morgan, and Deborah Nelson) and two members that have served on the advisory board in the past (Sonya Wright and Libby Irving). Everyone on your board is committed to helping make the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens a world-class destination for our community.
Before delving into the anticipation of the upcoming year, it’s important to highlight the splendid experiences we had at the Arboretum in 2023. Despite a couple of rainouts at the Luminary Walk and Terra Luna, these events still stood out as highlights of the season! The 2023 edition of Terra Luna marked itself as one of the best we’ve ever hosted. In addition to our traditional holiday Luminary Walk and Candlelight Stroll events, we introduced seven nights of a new “Electric Glow” option this year. This quieter, limited-experience version of the Luminary Walk featured all the wonderful electric lights and famous Gnome and Fairy Houses, minus the music, candles, and the crowds associated with the traditional Luminary Walk. We revived the popular Botanical Brewfest in October, and the Enchanted Faire expanded to three fun-filled days in early summer. Our Wine Tasting on the Terrace and Biergarten Thursdays events also gained immense popularity, with sellouts on nearly every summer night.
We can’t say thanks enough to everyone who attended, volunteered, or participated in 2023. None of our events and programs would be possible without the support of all of our members – both new and returning and the more than 800 volunteers who generously gave hundreds and hundreds of hours of their time. Finally, we can’t say enough about the Arboretum Staff that continued to help build our Arboretum and make all of the programs and events as successful as they are.
Your support of these events and all of the programs offered at our Arboretum helped drive the financial success we had in 2023. The success of our fundraising activities allowed us to commit over $250,000 in grants that directly support adult and children programming at the Arboretum. Additionally, we have committed to provide another $225,000 to the planned construction of a new greenhouse that will benefit our Arboretum for years in the future. And we made another $400,000 payment for the construction of the new LongHouse Visitors Center. To date, we have paid $2.65MM against our $3.2MM grant commitment for this exciting new addition to the gardens. We also continued to provide critical funding for the upkeep and maintenance of our commemorative gifts.
In the coming year we plan on providing all of the fun and exciting programs you expect at your Arboretum. These include our “Discovery Days”, with free admission for all you friends and family on the first Tuesday each month. We are already planning for our annual Spring Plant Sale in late April. Check out our Events Calendar and begin planning your next adventure at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens!
One last note, please let all your friends know about the benefits of becoming a member of Friends of the Arboretum. Your membership entitles you to FREE admission through the year to our facility, discounts on most programs and events held at the Arboretum, and discounted (or FREE!) admission to over 250 other Arboretums and Botanical Gardens throughout the United States. It is a great value for individuals and families alike.
See you in the gardens!
Mike Hopson,
Chair of the FOTA Advisory Board