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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
lallen@boktower.org.
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 mburdeshaw@boktower.org.
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 cfoley@boktower.org 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.
6 | The Garden Path | Summer 2010
CONSERVATION
Brooksville Bellflower’s Botanical MysteryCheryl Peterson, Conservation Manager
Summer 2010 | The Garden Path | 7
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.
8 | The Garden Path | Summer 2010
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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Summer 2010 | The Garden Path | 9
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.
10 | The Garden Path | Summer 2010
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!
Summer 2010 | The Garden Path | 11
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 programs@boktower.org or 863.734.1222 for more information and registration. Register online at boktowergardens.org/education.
12 | The Garden Path | Summer 2010
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!
Summer 2010 | The Garden Path | 15
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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