the garden path

The

A newsletter from Bok Tower Gardenswww.boktowergardens.org

Vol. 2 | Issue 2 | Summer 2010

CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS • 500 YEARS OF THE CARILLON • ONLINE GIFT SHOP LAUNCHES

David Price, President

Visitors enjoyed our extended spring bloom this

year. Many bus groups from the Northeast expressed

amazement at our display of Tillandsia and other unusual

plants. Our pilot project to restore the Singing Tower ended

on an optimistic note. Damage caused by rust wasn’t as

extensive as originally anticipated.

As we look to the future of the Gardens we see many

opportunities and challenges. Our board of directors

approved a long range plan for the Gardens that helps

visualize our direction over the next five years. Often

institutions adopt plans that transform themselves into

FROM THE PRESIDENT

new organizations. However, we approached this plan with a sense of how

we can maintain consistency in what we have done for 81 years. The planning

process began by reviewing the writings of Edward Bok, and then our archival

history of the administration, visitor and supporter comments, and general public

perceptions. Through this process we were able to determine what it will take

to sustain the Gardens in the coming decades. Our members and visitors have

appreciated the peaceful nature of the Gardens and the fact that we have “not

changed in all these years” while the outside world has changed so much and so

fast. Our visitors tell us that they yearn for consistency in this fast-paced world.

We re-crafted our mission statement, not to alter our mission, but to better convey

its relevance to those who visit and support the Gardens. In support of our mission,

we strive to be family friendly by providing offerings for both children and adults.

Other goals are to increase access to all, enrich our programs, preserve and enhance

the quality of our garden displays, carillon and our conservation programs.

Growing our attendance and financial support is key to maintaining the Gardens

and meeting these goals.Photos by Marc Martin Publishing

(Albert Barg / Jeff Weisberg)

The cover photo is of Charley, one of our resident swans who survived Hurricane Charley. Photo by Eric Farewell.

To share Edward Bok’s gift of a beautiful and

serene garden with music, architecture and nature, so

that all who visit will be inspired by his vision:

“Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because

you have lived in it.”

Mission

David PricePresident

Cassie JacobyEditor

Martin CorbinGraphic Design

Editorial Contributors

Nick Baker

Jennifer Beam

Marjola Burdeshaw

Robert V. Burt

Cindy Campbell

Megan Chambers

William De Turk

Sandra Dent

Christine Foley

Steve Jolley

Patricia Jones

Christopher Lutton

Katrina Noland

Cheryl Peterson

David Price

Pirjo Restina

Joan Thomas

Bok Tower Gardens, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is supported by tax-exempt gifts and contributions and is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. MM/5.5M/0610

The

Special thanks to AAA’s Going Places magazine summer issue for featuring us in a Show Your

Card and Save promotion distributed to 1.8 million households in Florida. We’re also included

in AAA’s Worth the Drive publication produced with Visit Florida with a combined annual

circulation of two million that promotes drive trips around Florida! We were featured nationally

as one of the South’s best gardens in Country Living and Southern Living magazines.

Bok Tower Gardens received two nominations in the WEDU Be More Awards, known as the

“Academy Awards for Nonprofits.” After nearly 50 of WEDU’s Broadcaster’s Circle major

donors enjoyed a VIP tour in March, we promoted the Gardens on-air by volunteering to answer

phones during WEDU’s spring membership pledge drive. In April, we hosted WEDU’s Star

Gaze supplying telescopes to view the night sky and showed a preview of the PBS documentary,

“400 Years of the Telescope.”

Journalists from 11 countries attending the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow

in Orlando enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour in May. Visiting from Brazil, Denmark, Israel,

Japan, The Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore and Thailand, the group

included managing editors of publications, journalists and travel writers. One of the tourism

industry’s most celebrated events, Pow Wow provides an opportunity for tourism businesses

and agencies from across the U.S. to sell travel to the world. Nearly 5,000 attended the event that

featured foreign travel companies and tour operators from 90 countries.

IN THE MEDIA

David Price with WEDU CEO Richard Lobo

David Price presents to the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow

Membership Information CartMembership is now 4,000 members strong! It is great to see you all

in the Gardens and participating in our Garden Campus programs.

Help us encourage others to become members by volunteering a

few hours of your time this coming year at our new membership

cart in the Visitor C enter. Contact Lisa Allen at 863.734-1211 or

[email protected].

Founder’s Room TourNearly 800 members at Sustainer level and above enjoyed a breakfast

and Founder’s Room tour of the Tower this past season. The popular

benefit of membership is offered only a few times a year. Watch

for a postcard invitation coming soon for the last two tour dates of

2010: Saturday, November 20 and Saturday, December 18. If you’re

not a Sustainer level or above member, consider upgrading your

membership and get a special look inside the Singing Tower. Contact

Marjola Burdeshaw, development and membership manager, at

863.734.1213 or [email protected].

Our new membership cart built by long-time volunteer Duane Hull and hand-painted by Lisa Moore of La Moore Visions.

Nearly 50 of WEDU’s Broadcaster’s Circle major donors enjoyed a VIP tour in March.

David Price leads one of our Founder’s Room Tours this past season.

Members: E-Mail Us!We are gathering e-mail addresses from all of our

members to help us better communicate with you

about matters pertaining to your membership, as

well as upcoming member events and news. This

also helps us cut down on printing and postage

costs, ensuring more of your membership dues

are being spent in maintaining the Gardens.

Since we only have e-mails on record for a third

of our members, it’s important we hear from you

as soon as possible!

Please send a quick e-mail to [email protected] and include your name and member number for reference. Thank you for helping us “go green!”

4 | The Garden Path | Summer 2010

Joan Thomas, Director of Development & MembershipMEMBERSHIP

Summer 2010 | The Garden Path | 5

Knoll Restoration ProgressKatrina Noland, Land Steward

Thanks to plenty of rain and supplemental

irrigation, the project to restore the Knoll along

our entrance drive to its ancient sandhill roots is

off to a successful start. After seeding a mixture

of native upland species on the north 15 acres in

January, tiny seedlings of wiregrass, lovegrass,

silkgrass, lupine and blazing-star started to

emerge in mid-March. These hardy species were

positively identified by crawling on hands and

knees in the sand with eyes nearly level to the

ground. They’re expected to grow and flower in

several years.

Supplemental irrigation was turned on as

needed so the Knoll received water every other

day. It takes three people about 20 minutes to

move all six sprinklers by hand twice every day

the irrigation is turned on. The wet winter was a

blessing; however, the germination took longer

than anticipated because of extremely cold

temperatures.

The south 12 acres will be restored next year.

Future plans include planting endangered

species such as the Florida Jujube (Ziziphus

celata) which was thought to be extinct until it

was rediscovered over a decade ago.

The 27-acre tract of land was a sandhill forest

for thousands of years and a citrus grove

until the hard freeze of 1989. One of the most

endangered ecosystems in the world, a sandhill

habitat has an open canopy of widely spaced

longleaf pine and a few sparse turkey oaks with

a dense carpet of wiregrass, other native grasses

and wildflowers.

The area is being restored to its native state

through funding from a $44,000 grant from the

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service through the Partners

for Fish & Wildlife program, and a $15,000 grant

from the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation.

A six-month pilot project to restore the Singing Tower found less

corrosion than expected. Protected by masonry, most of the steel was in

good shape and will not require significant repairs. More than a third of

the entire project to restore two of the eight grille faces on the northeast

and east sides involved the replacement of steel surrounding the marble

parapet panels on the roof. A mix of steel with a protective coating and

stainless steel is expected to give us 100 years of serviceable life. The two-

part epoxy paint system called Tnemec, cement spelled backwards, may

prevent future rust when the top coat is replaced every 10 years. Another

method to help delay oxidation in the steel was implemented using zinc

anodes for cathodic protection that reverses the flow of electrons from the

steel. Since the 1990s, there have been four phases of restoration. Repairs

during this phase were underwritten by a $350,000 grant from Florida’s

Bureau of Historic Preservation that was matched by private funds.

INSPIRED VISITOR

Bok Tower Gardens’ member

Joseph Carani shared photos

of his twins whose Lake Wales

High School graduation was

held at the Gardens. Joseph

Carani III, drum major, and

Elizabeth Carani, head dancer,

for the Lake Wales Highlander

Band are pictured here at the

Gardens in their full uniforms.

Tower Restoration UpdateBEFORE AFTER

Christopher Lutton, Director of Facilities & Operations

ART EXHIBIT

Wish You Were Here!Antique Postcard ExhibitMay 29 – September 30 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Stop by the Visitor Center this summer to see an eclectic collection

of old postcards depicting the Singing Tower, Lake Wales area and

other tourist destinations in Florida dating back to the early 1930s.

The collection is on loan from member Kenny Endline.

More than a thousand visitors enjoyed our Celebration of the Arts

in May that showcased students from Edward W. Bok Academy.

A steel drum band and other musical performances were featured

along with a display of student artwork.

Sharing Mr. Bok’s mission to “make the world a bit better or more

beautiful,” the Lake Wales charter middle school with 540 students

is designed to educate Renaissance thinkers for the digital age,

embracing the concept that all learning is viewed through the lens

of architecture and design. Students learn the “Bok Way of Life,”

how to behave in a manner that shows respect for the learning

environment and others.

In addition to establishing a farm on campus to teach about

agriculture, the Collins Peace Garden is being designed with help

from David Price and others. From laptop computers to control-

operated robotics, mountain bicycles for bike trips to Bok Tower

Gardens and other locations, the opportunity to use kayaks, take

dance and karate as electives all combine to make the learning

experience truly unique.

A Celebration of the Arts at the Gardens

Bok Academy students work on artwork displayed in the Visitor Center at Bok Tower Gardens.

During the day’s celebrations the orchestra performed in front of parents and visitors.

One of the pieces of student artwork on display in the Visitor Center.

Students played the steel drums outside the Café terrace.


CONSERVATION

Brooksville Bellflower’s Botanical MysteryCheryl Peterson, Conservation Manager


Piecing together clues to a puzzling botanical mystery could save one of the world’s rarest

plants from extinction. The Brooksville Bellflower, Campanula robinsiae, is a tiny, easily overlooked

plant with delicate leaves and blue, bell-shaped flowers. They only grow along pastureland pond

margins and within wet prairies from January to early April. With seeds roughly the size of ground

pepper, the smallest of any North American bellflower, the plant is around two inches tall.

The inconspicuous ground cover plant was first discovered in 1924. It was found in

three locations on the Brooksville Ridge in Hernando County in 1983. One of

those locations no longer exists. In 2006, a new population was discovered in

Hillsborough County’s Hillsborough River State Park, far from its previously

known range. How did the bellflower make its way from Brooksville

to Thonotosassa without growing anywhere in between? Funded by a

grant from the state of Florida, Division of Plant Industry, our Rare Plant

Conservation Program (RPCP) is working to solve that mystery and others

by monitoring all the known populations in collaboration with park

biologists and volunteers.

During the seasonal winter rains, the amount of water in ponds and

wetland depressions rises. Seeds, dormant during the summer and fall

in the soil around the ponds, become saturated. By early March, when

the pond water levels begin to decrease, seeds germinate in the

exposed wet muck. The plants grow rapidly, forming flowers and

dropping ripe seeds by the end of March, senescing at the

end of their life-cycle by early April.

Spring 2010 was a favorable year for the Brooksville

Bellflower. After disappearing for two years due to

drought conditions, more than 2,300 were counted. The

RPCP is storing seeds to protect the species from both

natural weather events and development. Future plans include

population introductions onto protected lands. Surveys will be

conducted in Hernando, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties to locate

previously unknown populations.


500 Years of the CarillonWilliam De Turk, Carillonneur

Bells are ringing throughout the world in celebration of the 500th anniversary of

the first carillon. The year was 1510 when, in an imposing city hall in Oudenaarde,

Belgium, Jan van Spiere installed a simple keyboard with a mechanism attached to

the bells. The carillon was born. But, the story behind the evolution of this unusual

instrument is much older.

From earliest times, bells have played an important role in the life of people.

Church services use bells for calling to service, for the entrance of priests into

the sanctuary and for various parts of the ritual of the Mass. Bells accompanied

funeral processions from the church to the cemetery to ward off evil spirits. It was

believed that bells had magical sacred powers because they continued to ring.

Bells also played an important role in the secular life of people. In the Middle

Ages, the walled cities in the Low Countries, The Netherlands, Belgium and

Northern France, would include a tall tower where bells were rung for the opening

and closing of the main gate; the lighting and extinguishing of fires; warning of

approaching storms or armies; the outbreak of a fire and its location and tolling for

a death, denoting the age, sex and location of the deceased.The home of the first carillon is the Oudenaarde Town Hall in Oudenaarde, Belgium.

“It must sing of music, sculpture, color, architecture, landscape design and the arts of the workers in brass and iron, ceramics, and marble and stone, each a

part of the chorus, each adding beauty to the others.” - Milton Medary

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In the 14th century, clocks in towers did not have the power to ring a large bell

for everyone to hear. When the small clock struck 10 times, the bell ringer struck

the largest bell 10 times for everyone to hear. Since the usual noise of everyday

life – the blacksmith hammering away, mothers shouting to their kids, the busy

market square – often made it difficult to hear the first strike of the hour, the hour

strikes were repeated after a pause for those who did not count them the first

time.

The ingenious Netherlandic people solved the problem by devising a system to

announce the hour strike. A set of bells was installed which allowed a musician

to set short musical tunes which would play before the hour strike. This was

called voorslag, the strike before the hour. The tunes caught the attention of the

people, and they stopped their work to hear the hour strike.

Then came the desire to know the divisions of the hour, and thus a few

bells would ring at half past the hour, and eventually every quarter hour. The

Westminster Quarters heard in London is the most famous example. Its largest

bell, weighing 14 tons, is affectionately called Big Ben. When automation arrived,

the bell ringer was replaced with figurines on display, called Jack o’ the clock or

Jacquemart in French, pretending to strike the bells on the hour. As cities became

more prosperous and competitive, more bells were added and clock faces and

figurines appeared, adorned in gold leaf.

An engraving above the fireplace in the Founder’s Room of the Singing Tower represents bell ringers who were replaced by automation.

Bells were played by means of a large drum with moveable pegs like a giant version of a music box mechanism.

The clock mechanism would release the large weights via ropes in the tall towers. As the weights descended, the drum turned, the pegs tripped levers which caused small hammers to be lifted and then dropped on the outside of the bells.

With 60 bells, our carillon is one of only a

dozen grand carillons in North America and

considered to be one of the world’s finest.

This architectural treasure was

constructed between 1927 and 1929. Edward

Bok’s only instruction to Philidelphia

architect Milton Medary was to make it as

beautiful as possible and to create a design

that would “pay tribute to its ancestry and

the spirit of the arts which had been born

under the blue skies and sparkling sunshine

of other parts of the world: the colored

marbles of Italy; the contrasts of stately

mass and sculptured frieze of Greece; the

plant and animal motifs of Persia and India,

and the porcelain temples of China.”

In his book America’s Taj Mahal, Bok

describes his motivation for creating the

Singing Tower. “The purpose of it all?

Simply to preach the gospel and influence of

beauty reaching out to visitors through tree,

shrub, flowers, birds, superb architecture,

the music of bells and the sylvan setting.”

In the same book, Medary details the

motivation behind his architectural design.

“It must sing of music, sculpture, color,

architecture, landscape design and the arts

of the workers in brass and iron, ceramics,

and marble and stone, each a part of the

chorus, each adding beauty to the others.”

Edward Bok’s Singing Tower:A Grand Carillon in Central Florida

Nick Baker, Director of Horticulture

Coral BeanErythrina herbacea

The Coral Bean is a flowering shrub native to Florida that blooms bright red tubular flowers from long, leafless spikes. Its foliage is also beautiful with bright green leaves that have a unique arrowhead shape. After it blooms in the spring and summer months the Coral Bean then produces bean-like pods that split open to reveal bright red seeds. In areas that are frost-free, this shrub can grow up to 20 feet tall, but in areas such as ours it typically grows to be about eight feet tall.

Southern MagnoliaMagnolia grandiflora

Native to the southeastern United States, the Southern Magnolia is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 90 feet tall. The tree’s flowers are white saucer-shaped citronella-scented blossoms that bloom in the late spring and into the summer. The scientific name, Magnolia grandiflora, is an apt description as it is among the largest flowers native to North America.

MussaendaMussaenda frondosa

Mussaenda frondosa is one of showiest summer shrubs. The true flowers are small and orange. The larger showy white “petals” are actually a type of leaf called a bract. This is similar to what you find with poinsettias although they are not in the same family of plants. Some species of Mussaenda, including this one, can be difficult to propagate from cuttings. We are using a type of hydroponics known as aeroponics where the cuttings are rooted in an oxygen rich fog rather than in soil. This has greatly increased our success rate.


Nick’s Picks: Bok in Bloom

Our Plant Shop behind the Tower & Garden Gift Shop sells many plants that

can be found in the Gardens. Stop by during your next visit to take home a piece

of one of America’s finest gardens!

Nick Baker, Director of Horticulture

BRAVO!


Bok Tower Gardens Wins Silver ADDY AwardOur website is a winner of the prestigious

Silver ADDY Award, the world’s largest and

toughest advertising competition. Cassie

Jacoby and Martin Corbin received the

award along with Clark/Nikdel/

Powell, Inc. of Winter Haven for

the boktowergardens.org

design. The ADDY

Awards represent

the true spirit of creative

excellence by recognizing all forms

of advertising from media of all

types. Conducted by the American

Advertising Federation, it is one of

the key creative awards program

administered by the advertising

industry for the industry.

Singing Tower Wins Award of ExcellenceThe Singing Tower received an Award of Excellence for Historic

Structures from the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) for the

Impressed Current Cathodic Protection system installed on 11 horizontal

beam levels. The 11 zones push a DC current of 12 volts at 100-200

milliamps through the cathodes installed into the brick to reverse the ion

flow of the iron to stop the creation of rust.

Hospitality Service AwardRita Horton has received the

2010 Polk County Tourism

Hospitality Award. As our

wedding and facility rental

coordinator, Rita manages site tours, wedding ceremonies and receptions as well as corporate

groups with a positive attitude and outstanding customer service to

assure the best quality experience for our visitors. Rita’s office is covered

with thank you notes and wedding pictures, a true testament to her work.

Her success also has allowed the Gardens to expand the wedding and

rental offerings, and through her customer service strategy changes, there

has been more repeat business and an increase in revenue over the past

year. Rita has been a positive, hardworking and dedicated employee at

Bok Tower Gardens for 12 years. Congratulations Rita!

Special thank you to the following donors of Florida native plants and property owners who allowed Bok Tower Gardens to collect and/or survey for native plants January through March 2010.

Mary Young, Fort Pierce, FL

Tom & Tammy Nguyen, Lake Wales, FL

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Inst. Foundation, Inc., Fort Pierce, FL

Sam Coleman, USDA Sub-Tropical Agricultural Research Station, Brooksville, FL

Terry Hintgen, Hillsborough River State Park, Thonotosassa, FL

Benjamin Castalda, Apopka, FL

Upco, Inc., Lake Wales, FL

Pam Leasure, Pinellas County Dept of Environmental Mgmt, St. Petersburg, FL

Assistant Tower Curator RetiresDewey Fowler spent approximately 1,928

hours polishing The Great Brass Door of the

Tower along with a host of other tasks such

as maintaining the wrought-iron gates and

the carillon, and hosting numerous Tower

tours. He retired in June, after 20 years with

the Gardens. Dewey, you will be missed!

Memories of summer camp are the kind that can last a lifetime and, as

Edward Bok described the Singing Tower, can be “the stuff of which dreams

are made.” Imaginations run wild as children experience the joy of being

able to play outside and the thrill of discovering nature while making new

friends. From climbing one of our tall live oak trees to preparing a fairy

feast, painting watercolor butterflies, exploring secret gardens and more, our

two new summer camps will be available for children who have completed

kindergarten through 5th grades.

Summer Discovery DaysActivities vary each Wednesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

during seven weeks June 23 through August 4. The cost

for members is $4 per class or $25 for all classes with non-

members paying $5 per class or $32 for all classes.

Nature Quest Summer CampPresented by Pathfinder Outdoor Education, our week-long

“Nature Quest Summer Camp” will be held July 19 through

23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with before and after care available

for an additional cost. Nature and art activities range from

animal discovery and photo exploration to papermaking, tree

climbing and more. In addition to discovering nature, daily

courses will focus on the power of fun and shared challenge

while bonding and building trust. All materials, supplies,

camp t-shirts and two snacks will be provided. Bring a lunch

or order from the Blue Palmetto Café. Members: $250; non-

members: $295.

Contact [email protected] or 863.734.1222 for more information and registration. Register online at boktowergardens.org/education.


Summer Fun at the Gardens!

Sponsor Thank-You’sOur support from the local corporate community is growing!

Two Founder’s Room tours this spring were sponsored by

Holiday Inn Express of Lake Wales and Florida’s Natural

Growers. The Gordon Bok Live at the Gardens concert attracted

newcomer Water’s Edge of Lake Wales. Concert Under the Stars

on May 1 saw the return of sponsors GrayRobinson, P.A. and

new sponsors Bunting, Tripp & Ingley LLC and CenterState

Bank with media partners Tampa Bay Magazine, The Ledger

Media Group, MAX 98.3 FM and WUSF.

We also formed hotel partnerships with four local properties

who are offering special Bok room rates, so please mention

these partners if you have out-of-towners coming in who need

overnight accommodations: Best Western Admiral’s Inn, Chalet

Suzanne, Hampton Inn of Lake Wales and Holiday Inn Express

of Lake Wales.

We are still seeking sponsors for Live at the Gardens! Summer

Music series, the Boktoberfest Plant Sale on October 16 and

Christmas at Pinewood. Call 863.734.1213 if you would like to

know how you or your company can sponsor one of these events.

SAVE THE DATE

Boktoberfest Plant SaleOctober 16 from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Celebrate the start of the fall gardening season with free admission and fun for the whole family. Education sessions, German food, beer and live music throughout the day.

Sunset & SymphonyNovember 6 at 6 p.m.

Bring your family for picnic and enjoy our outdoor concert featuring the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Singing Tower carillon as the sun sets atop Iron Mountain.

Gala BenefitDecember 4

The lush grounds of Pinewood Estate will take on a Cuban vibe offering guests a cultural feast of flavor, music and entertainment. This year’s fundraiser will showcase some exciting new plans underway for the Gardens!

JUNE 26 The Porchdogs

JULY 24 Tammerlin

AUGUST 21-22 The Repeatles

SEPTEMBER 18 Broadway & Jazz

Bok Tower Gardens Visitor Center

$20 General PublicMembers receive 10% discount

Concert at 7:30 p.m.Limited seating.

Purchase your tickets online atboktowergardens.org

LIVE AT THE GARDENSa Summer Music Series!

Pre-paid dinner at 5:45 p.m.$16.50 Members$18 Non-Members

Nature Quest Summer Camp presented by Pathfinder Outdoor EducationJuly 19 – 23 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Discover animals at Window by the Pond, make a pinhole camera and develop handmade photos, tie dye t-shirts, make nature art, climb a tree and take home a book of art from the week. Limited to children who have completed K - 5th grade.

$250 Members. $295 Non-Members.Extended care: $50/week from 8 - 9 a.m. and 5 - 6 p.m.

Summer Discovery Days: Exploring Castles, Forests, Butterflies and FairiesWednesdays, June 23 – August 4 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.

$4 per child or $25 for all 7 classes Members.$5 per child or $32 for all 7 classes Non-Members.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

For more information visit us onlineat boktowergardens.org/education

CHAIRWilliam G. BurnsLake Wales, FL

VICE CHAIRRobin Gibson, Senior PartnerGibson & Valenti PA – Lake Wales, FL

TREASURERHon. Patricia C. Fawsett, Chief Judge EmeritusU.S. District Court – Orlando, FL

SECRETARYFrank M. Hunt II, Chairman of the BoardHunt Bros. Cooperative – Lake Wales, FL

BOARD MEMBERSLouise B. AdamsLake Wales, FL

Cindy Alexander, Community VolunteerLake Wales, FL

Michael Aloian, PresidentCharlotte State Bank Trust Department – Tampa, FL

Tomas J. Bok, Ph.D.GMO LLC – Somerville, MA

J. F. Bryan IVThe Bryan Group – Jacksonville, FL

Nancy J. Davis, President and CEOMcArthur Management Company – Miami, FL

Derek Dunn-Rankin, PresidentSun Coast Media Group, Inc. – Charlotte Harbor, FL

Senator Bob GrahamUnited States Senator – Miami, FL

L. Evans Hubbard, Chairman of the BoardA. Friends’ Foundation Trust – Orlando, FL

Arva Moore Parks, PresidentArva Parks & Company – Miami, FL

A. Bronson Thayer, Chairman of the BoardBay Cities Bank – Tampa, FL

Dick Wood, PresidentMountain Lake Corporation – Lake Wales, FL

EMERITUS MEMBERS

J. Shepard Bryan Jr., AttorneyHolland & Knight LLP – Atlantic Beach, FL

M. Lewis Hall Jr., Partner/AttorneyHall & Hedrick – Coral Gables, FL

John Germany, AttorneyHolland & Knight LLP – Tampa, FL

Joan Wellhouse Newton, Chairman EmeritusRegency Centers Corporation – Jacksonville, FL

2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Florida’s nationally renowned community radio station, WMNF 88.5 FM in

Tampa, is partnering with us to provide outreach to its nearly 10,000 member-

sponsors and 100,000-plus weekly listeners throughout West Central Florida.

Sharing Edward Bok’s dream for world peace, WMNF will name one of its

2010 Peace Awards in his honor!

Dedicated to “celebrating cultural diversity and a commitment to equality,

peace, economic justice, human rights and environmentalism,” the non-

commercial, listener-supported station first went on the air in 1979 and has

grown to become one of the most successful community radio stations in the

country.

WMNF and Gardens’ staff will introduce the “Edward Bok Youth Peace

Award” at the station’s 2nd Annual

Peace Awards in Morsani Hall of the

Straz Center for the Performing Arts

in downtown Tampa on August 28.

The WMNF Peace Awards

recognize people working to

advance the causes of peace,

freedom for others, human rights,

social and economic justice, the environment, non-violence and those who

foster peace and understanding through the media.

America’s top national progressive talk radio show host Thom Hartmann

is scheduled to emcee with lauded singer-songwriter and peace activist Eliza

Gilkyson to perform. Tickets for the fundraiser are available at www.wmnf.org

or by calling 813.238.8001.

Helping to promote awareness of the Gardens, the partnership includes the

station’s sponsorship of our activities, concerts and events. Our Friendship

Passes are being shared as premiums during WMNF programs, fundraising

and membership drives.

On October 16, WMNF’s popular Sunday Polka Party Express hosts Mr. &

Mrs. Wackie Jackie Z will emcee and provide entertainment during our 2nd

Annual Boktoberfest Plant Sale.

With our shared goals of peace, environmental education and community-

building, we look forward to a long and rewarding partnership with WMNF

and its devoted community of listeners.

PARTNER PROFILE

WMNF will introduce the “Edward Bok Youth Peace Award” at the station’s 2nd

Annual Peace Awards on August 28, 2010!


Photography in the Gardens

Eric Farewell photographs at locations all

around the world, but his love and passion for

the Gardens makes this one of his favorite sites.

Growing up at historic Chalet Suzanne here in

Lake Wales, Eric has been a regular visitor to the

Gardens for as long as he can remember. The

personal connection he feels to the Gardens goes

back to his childhood memories of feeding the

squirrels and swans as well as holiday family

outings. However, what inspires Eric to return

time and again to the Gardens goes much deeper

than that. For Eric, it’s about “the rare opportunity

to experience an exact vision of beauty, the way

Bok planned it.”

There’s a beauty so uniquely different about

the Gardens that Eric appreciates every time he

visits. He has a sense of passionate responsibility

to promote the Gardens to others, which comes

across in his work. This passion is what led him

to volunteer his time to work with staff to update

images in the Bok Tower Gardens’ photo library.

He has a unique style and eye for beauty that you

can see throughout various Bok Tower Gardens

publications and at boktowergardens.org.

Eric and his wife were married in the Moon

Gate Garden at Pinewood Estate last year. “There

is something truly magical about being married

at the Gardens,” Eric noted. “Weddings are the

beginning of two people’s lives together and what

better location than Bok Tower Gardens is there to

begin that journey.” That’s why Eric got married

here, and why he enjoys photographing other

people’s weddings here.

Eric owns Farewell Photography and has been shooting professionally for six years. www.farewellphotography.com

During the month of

September, all members

will receive a one-time-only

20 percent discount off

purchases in the Tower &

Garden Gift Shop and a free

freshly baked cookie or soft

drink with the purchase of

lunch at the Blue Palmetto

Café.

WHAT’S NEW

September Shopping Spree

2009 Annual Report

Cultivating our Garden: The Next 80 Years

In an effort to minimize environmental impact,

we offer our 2009 Annual Report as an electronic

version to view online or download in PDF

format. If you do not have Internet access or prefer

to receive a printed version of this report, please

call 863.734.1226 and we will be happy to mail a

copy to you.

View the report online at boktowergardens.org/annualreport

Online Gift Shop Launches

We’re excited to announce the launch

of our online Tower & Garden Gift Shop!

We’ll be offering select merchandise for

purchase online including our Singing

Tower replica, unique garden themed

jewelry and tickets to special events like

our Live at the Gardens! Summer Music

series. Don’t forget to get your 10 percent

discount by entering your member

number at checkout!

shop.boktowergardens.org

1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales, FL 33853

1 David Price, Gardens’ president and featured artist, speaks with Arabella Decker during our opening night art exhibit reception in the Visitor Center.

2 A beautiful mist hung in the air while more than 2,300 visitors enjoyed the 84th Annual Easter Sunrise Service at Bok Tower Gardens.

3 A couple participates in our annual picnic contest during Concert Under the Stars with a beautifully themed picnic.

4 Tierra Negra and Muriel Anderson filled the Visitor Center with flamenco music during a Live at the Gardens concert.

5 Visitors took part in a three-day tour of the Everglades during a Wildlife Safari put on by Bok Tower Gardens’ curator of education.

6 A visitor reads Finding Yourself: A Spiritual Journey through a Florida Garden while taking part in a “sensory experience” during a book-signing by the author Bill Maxwell and photographer John Moran.

Visit us online at www.boktowergardens.org • Shop online at shop.boktowergardens.org

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the garden path

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