Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park wouldn’t exist but for the blending of two dreams - the West Michigan Horticultural Society’s dream of creating a botanic garden and Fred Meijer’s dream of finding a place to display his growing sculpture collection. Blending the two created an attraction of sculptures and botanic exhibits unique in the world. Behind the scenes a foundation was formed to endow and protect the Gardens’ future. Today, that Foundation is called Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation and, in calendar year 2009, contributions from the Foundation to the Gardens totaled $1.3 million. This was a significant help in difficult times, but the Foundation needs to do more.
Considering today’s economy, the answer to building the endowment may lie in deferred gifts. For example: in 1993, Leonard and Dora Rosenzweig funded the Orchid Wall in the Lena Meijer Conservatory in memory of Anne Frank. At the same time, they established a charitable remainder trust with the Foundation to endow the wall, thereby providing permanent care for it. If you have a favorite attraction at the Gardens that you would like to help endow (Michele Oka Doner’s magical floor, a favorite sculpture, a Chihuly masterpiece, the Children’s Garden, the Lena Meijer Conservatory and so on), your gift can help endow that attraction, making your gift more meaningful for you. Whatever you choose, your attorney can arrange for a deferred gift to the Foundation in your will or estate plan and you can help build the endowment now, spending future, not current, dollars. Of course, if you prefer, unrestricted gifts are always welcome.
Building a sound endowment for the Gardens is so important to Fred and Lena Meijer that they will match all gifts to the Foundation over the next two years, up to a total of $1 million. Let’s do all we can to meet this match, after all the Meijers have done to bring this treasure to us. By including Frederik Meijer Gardens Foundation in your will or estate plan, you will receive permanent recognition now on a plaque at the Gardens. If your gift is $10,000 or more, you will also become a member of the Foundation’s Perennial Society.
As always, if you have questions about deferred gift guidelines, pledges, the Meijer match or would like to receive a brochure entitled Giving for the Future, please call Sue Veeneman, Executive Director of the Foundation, or me, at 616-791-3901.
Ray B. Loeschner
President, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation
-
Ray B. Loeschner
