The Evans Children’s Adventure Garden Treehouse Project at Garvan Woodland Gardens received a generous donation in the amount of $250,000 from the Oaklawn Foundation of Hot Springs toward the educational components of the structure. Part of an ambitious plan to bring children back into the woods, the Treehouse Project will utilize a rich visual and tactile environment to stimulate the mind and body, while accommodating the needs of all users.
Bob Bledsoe, Executive Director at Garvan said, “The vision for the Treehouse within the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden is to combine a child’s natural inclination to imagine, explore and play, with provided elements of education about one of Arkansas’ greatest assets, which is its natural resources. We are extremely grateful to the Oaklawn Foundation for their financial support of this vision on behalf of children and grandchildren for generations to come.”
Oaklawn Foundation’s stated mission says, “The Oaklawn Foundation is committed to the improvement of the quality of life for the people of Hot Springs and Garland County through the funding of programs in support of education and senior citizens.”
Members of the Oaklawn Foundation gathered with officials from the University of Arkansas on Wednesday, May 15, when the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Bus Tour visited Garvan Woodland Gardens for a luncheon and tour.
For more information about the Gardens, visit www.garvangardens.org, or call 501-262-9300.
Garvan Woodland Gardens’ mission is to preserve and enhance a unique part of the Ouachita environment; provide people with a place of learning, research, cultural enrichment, and serenity; develop and sustain gardens, landscapes, and structures of exceptional aesthetics, design, and construction; and partner with and serve communities of which the Gardens is a part. From the dynamic architectural structures to the majestic botanical landscapes, Garvan Woodland Gardens offers breathtaking sights (and fantastic photo opportunities) at every turn.
Pictured left to right: Gary Troutman, Ira Klineman, Charlene Copeland, Helen Harris, Larry Stanley, Dr. John Simpson, Melinda Gassaway, Kermit Tucker, Kerri Owen, U of A Provost Jim Coleman, U of A Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz, Dean-Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design Peter MacKeith, U of A Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Mark Power, GWG Garden Director Becca Ohman, GWG Executive Director Bob Bledsoe, and Arkansas State Senator Bill Samples. (Submitted photo)
