Letter from the President

Dear Friends of Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park,

 

Perhaps Charles Dickens’ opening statement in his book A Tale of Two Cities best describes the past year at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” It was the best of times as the Gardens continued to delight visitors, receive world-class recognition and began work on a new Japanese Garden, but the worst of times because of the passing of Fred Meijer.

Therefore, as I write my last letter as President of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation, I do so with appreciation, satisfaction, and gratitude, but also with a deep sense of sadness for the loss of our dear friend and benefactor, Fred Meijer. I feel appreciation for having had the opportunity to serve as President of the Foundation for the past 15 years, satisfaction that the challenge of building an endowment sufficient to help meet the Gardens’ current and future needs has been achieved, and gratitude to each of you who contributed to meeting the endowment challenge which began 18 years ago when the Foundation was established.

 

Serving as President of the Foundation has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding responsibilities of my life and what a joy it has been to be a part of Fred and Lena’s legacy. Not many people have the opportunity to be involved in an endeavor which brings joy, beauty and tranquility to so many people. That has been my good fortune and the good fortune of all of you who have contributed in so many different ways to making the Gardens and the Foundation what they are today.

 

What a joy it has been for all of us to watch the Gardens grow and develop into one of the world’s most spectacular multifaceted arts, cultural and biological complexes. In the beginning, there were those who conceived the dream when the site where the Gardens stands today was nothing but vacant land. There were those who raised the money for the original Campaign to build the Conservatory complex and surrounding gardens and those who established the Frederik Meijer Gardens Foundation in 1993 to build an endowment to help support the Gardens. Those individuals, along with countless others, made extraordinary contributions along the way. Each person’s contribution made an impact on the Gardens’ growth and stability and, at the same time, developed his or her own personal legacy with the Gardens. There is a Chinese proverb that we all have heard: “Many hands make light work.” I am not suggesting that the building of the Gardens and the Foundation has been light work, but certainly many hands have contributed to that end over the past several years.

 

We hope you enjoy this report designed to pay tribute to Fred Meijer, recognize contributors, provide financial information, feature individuals who have made significant contributions to the Foundation, highlight members of the Perennial Society, and provide a special message from David Hooker, President of the Gardens. In addition to providing you with the normal information you expect in an Annual Report, this letter is an opportunity for me to express the Board’s appreciation to all of you who made a contribution to the Foundation during the past year. It is also meant to be a special thank you to those of you who have made the decision to put the Foundation in your estate plan to help ensure the Gardens’ long-term growth and sustainability. By doing so, you have established your own personal legacy with the Gardens.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is many things to many people. Each contributor has left his or her own personal legacy in accordance with their personal interest, whether it is something specific or a gift to support the Gardens in whatever way is needed. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you have been, and will always be, a part of something truly special.

 

So thank you again for all you have done, and will do in the future, to help sustain Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park through your current and planned gifts to the Foundation. Fred loved to quote his father as saying, “The eye needs to be fed too.” I believe Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park clearly fulfills that thought.

 

For my wife Nancy and me, having the opportunity to participate in the dream of building the Gardens has been a special privilege which has enriched our lives. So, in closing, thank you to everyone who helped make the dream of a world-class botanic garden and sculpture park come true.
 

 

Warm regards,

Ray B. Loeschner
President, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation