2 minute read
Letter from the President and CEO, Maureen Heffernan
Dear Garden Friends:
I hope you are all doing well or well enough considering the unprecedented, anxious and disorienting times. My deepest sympathy to anyone who has lost a loved one, a job or experiencing financial difficulty, and for those who have lost the ability to visit a mother or father in a nursing home. There is also the loss of freely enjoying larger gatherings this year.
However, we have also experienced how a community can come together over common goals of inclusion for all. The Gardens are committed to welcoming all in our community to our site and programs.
We’ve missed seeing our normal crowds at the Gardens. We’ve missed seeing school children fill our Crystal Bridge for field trips and ardent plant enthusiasts at our Oklahoma Gardening School. We’ve missed Dancing in the Gardens and Cinco de Mayo celebrations and weddings in May. But while classes and events had to be canceled, the grounds remained open, a safe green space to walk and relax.
While the city was shuttered, our thousands of multicolored tulips, sunny daffodils, and germinating seedlings seemed exceptionally vivid and uplifting against that foreboding backdrop. No wonder many Americans took up gardening during this time. Seed companies experienced unprecedented demand.
What better activity is there to do in the spring when you are homebound and have young children?
In March and April, our staff created Garden-in-Place Seed Kits for kids. Complete with seeds, pots, soil, and labels, they were distributed curbside at no cost to more than 2,000 families. Check out our Instagram page to see dozens of photos of beaming young gardeners showing off their germinated tomato, pepper, and cilantro seeds.
Like many nonprofits, we had a significant loss of revenue during the closure. Your support can help us rebound. One of the best ways to support the Gardens is to make a gift to our Annual Fund or purchase or renew a membership to attend our Member event and receive many other benefits. It’s easy to join or renew at myriadgardens.org.
During the shutdown, we were also busy creating a newly enhanced, somewhat hidden garden area located behind our Boulder Fountain in the Meinders Garden. We’ve nicknamed this spot, “The Secret Garden” like the book where an unused garden area is restored by children whose health in turn is restored by gardening.
There are other exciting renovations planned for the Gardens and we look forward to sharing them with you over the next several months.
Sincere thanks for your continued support,
Maureen Heffernan President and CEO
