Delaware Community Foundation Presents Grant to DBG
/For immediate release July 2, 2018
On June 28, the Delaware Community Foundation presented a $25,000 Capital Grant to the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) to build its new Welcome Center, to enable the gardens to open in 2019.
Representing the Delaware Community Foundation, Bill Allan, Senior Vice President for Southern Delaware, said, “The DCF has been part of this project from the day the Garden first acquired the land from the Sussex County Land Trust. It’s exciting to witness the gardens evolve from drawings on paper to thousands of plants in the ground. We can literally see the Garden taking root. The Delaware Community Foundation is excited about the number of people the Garden has the potential to touch. The Wetland Outdoor Classroom is engaging our young people in the wonders of nature. It’s also heartening to see all these volunteers working here today. These dedicated volunteers are themselves being touched by this wonderful project. The visitors are going to benefit from this same enjoyable experience. The Delaware Community Foundation is really happy to be part of this great project.”
DBG President Ray Sander said, “The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) plays a vital role in empowering philanthropy throughout our State. DCF is a unique organization that helps people save and invest money that they would like to donate to deserving causes. DCF works with potential philanthropists and makes suggestions on how and where to best direct their funds to worthy projects. The Delaware Community Foundation is where the Delaware Botanic Gardens established our Endowment Fund in 2015. In this way, DBG is giving back to the community. Our Board strongly believes that DBG should be a giver as well as a receiver. Today we are the fortunate receiver of a $25,000 capital grant, which will help us to build our Welcome Center. The DCF grant will be covering a major part of the initial building costs, and DBG will also be covering a large portion of the center’s outfitting cost.”
DBG Executive Director Sheryl Swed said, “On behalf of the entire DBG team, we want to thank the Delaware Community Foundation for this generous and timely Capital Grant for the Welcome Center. This structure is an essential element of our 2019 Public Opening. The Welcome Center will be the focal point of our interactions with visitors. This is where visitors will pay their admission, become members and purchase DBG merchandise and plants. Like all the major garden paths, the Welcome Center will be ADA compatible.”
Director of Horticulture, Gregg Tepper, is creating the center’s immediate garden environment. He said, “The Welcome Center will be the first impression our visitors will experience. It will be the threshold that moves visitors from the parking-entry garden area into the full experience of the gardens. The center is a very important part of our whole garden experience. We are grateful for the Delaware Community Foundation support.”
The mission of the Delaware Botanic Gardens is to create an inspirational, educational, and sustainable public garden in Delaware for the benefit and enjoyment of all. The Delaware Botanic Gardens celebrates the coastal plain with a sustainable garden that delights and educates visitors and inspires them to preserve Delmarva’s native landscape.
Front row from left, Carol McCloud, Sheryl Swed, Bill Allan and Ray Sander and back row from left, Scott Thomas, Sally Boswell, Gregg Tepper, Ron Bass, Brent Baker and Cam Yorkston
Photo by Ray Bojarski