***UPDATE – JUNE 2022***
***Every donation will be matched, up to $15,000, through the end of the summer!***
It is with great excitement that we announce our 2022 Keeler Gardens Fundraising Drive.
It has been quite a while and we felt it was time to reach out let you know what’s happening, and ask for your support. Whether it’s a single gift or a regular sponsorship, we are so grateful for your participation. For every program and event each contribution and donation matters. You can donate right here on our website, and you’ll also find a big blue donate button on our Facebook page (see image on the right). Read on to see how your contributions makes a difference.
We’ll start with our Internship Program, as through these trying times we’ve hosted dozens of students here at Keeler Gardens, connecting them and our community with nature, and connecting communities everywhere. Your donation directly supports each student’s opportunity to learn about working with nature, the environment, and other aspects of business, such as technology and marketing. About $2000 is needed per session to host a single intern. You can sponsor an intern or make a one-time donation in any amount.
Our pollinator habitat has continued to be the focus of our work, on-site and in the community. You can read about it in a recent post that shares the fate of one of the trees in the parkway that needed to come down. You can support art in our community as we plan to transform the trunk into a work of art. Our goal for this project is $1500 which will allow us to enlist the talents of a chainsaw artist. Your contribution will welcome a wonderful new addition to our community.
Another project we are currently working on is running electricity throughout the entire space. This will extend program possibilities for the community through the winter and get us started earlier in the spring. We have already completed phase one of this project with a contribution we received last year. We are now planning on phase two, adding additional power outlets and outdoor heaters, which we estimate to be another $1500 in costs. The community will come together in a safe warm space over those cold winter months with your support.
And if you are interested in safe indoor programming, like word burning art shown here, we are looking into air purifiers and filters for a wood shop, that could cost upwards of $1500. Think of all the extraordinary opportunities for visitors to learn and build something tangible, a personal creation. This is an exciting, compelling step that we hope to take very soon.
Some basics like hoses, hand sprayers, and irrigation parts need replacing. We also try to maintain our space for our visitors as best we can, so upkeep and developments will be necessary in the upcoming season. We also have a list of consumables, like food for the Cats at Work program, that are a consistent monthly cost. Your donation can help us work in the garden and support programing every day.
We hope the kickoff of 2022 will be very eventful and enjoyable for you, and we hope to share this excitement with you in our endeavor of connecting the community to nature! Feel free to tell your neighbors and friends about our Fundraising Drive, and always we welcome you to stop by and enjoy our urban nature oasis.