March 15, 2008

Dear Friends,

You are one of a small group of friends receiving this very special appeal.  From our point of view, your involvement with the Society’s education programs either as a teacher, student, garden guide, or a supporter makes you one of the true VIP’s of our unique “native plant learning community.”  That’s why we are hoping you will help us match a generous challenge grant to fund two new education internships at Garden in the Woods for BIG BUGS 2008.

This challenge from the Millipore Corporation, arranged with the help of members Jackie and Tom Stone, will provide two critical members of the BIG BUGS team.  The BIG BUGS exhibit returns to Garden in the Woods this summer.  The exhibit has mesmerized visitors to America’s botanical gardens and museums for more than a decade, and we are thrilled to be New England’s exclusive exhibition site.  Here is our opportunity to educate thousands of people of all ages about the incredible interactions between bugs and our native plants.

To this end, we have offered internships to two wonderful young naturalists Steven Scholom from Talent, Oregon, and Emily Edmonds-Langham from Rye, New York, who are graduating this spring from Southern Oregon University and Smith College, respectively.  Both are excited to begin their careers in a public garden education capacity.  Working with our Education Department, they will help create interpretive materials, organize the Garden’s “Bugmobile” discovery carts, develop an interactive BIG BUGS website, and a present variety of events and experiences for exhibit visitors.

Here’s where you come in – by helping us pay for these 5-month internships.  With a donation of anywhere from $25 to $1000, you can help us fully match the Millipore Corporation’s challenge.  Your generosity will insure that Emily and Steven can be in residence here at the Garden – working to create a magical experience for each and every visitor to BIG BUGS.

Your support is crucial.  We are expecting more than 35,000 new visitors to our renowned botanical setting during the BIG BUGS exhibit, which runs from July 12 through October.  With your help, our interns will play an integral role in making this exhibit hugely successful.

Thank you for all that you do. We’ll see you on the trails!

Greg Lowenberg, Ph.D.                               Bonnie Drexler

Education Director                                        Program and Volunteer Manager