June Garden Walk Was Bountiful
Already Putting Down Fertilizer For Next Year’s Event
By Jean Ercolini
Garden Walk Organizer
The results are in and we are thrilled to announce that the June Park Hill Garden Walk was a resounding success.
We saw a 31 percent increase in revenue generated from ticket sales over 2018 numbers, bringing the total revenue from ticket sales to $8,098. Our sponsorships also saw an increase of 27 percent in revenues over 2018, with a total of $4,250.
And, that number does not reflect the incredible amount of in-kind donations we received from 17 businesses in and around Park Hill, which allowed us to reduce our expenses. All of this adds up to $10,737 in total net income, a 36 percent increase over 2018. Thank you Park Hill residents, for supporting this event.
All Garden Walk proceeds go directly to Greater Park Hill Community Inc., which promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill through its resources, information and advocacy, while preserving the quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation. Learn more and get involved at www.greaterparkhill.org.
The success of the Park Hill Garden Walk doesn’t just happen. The committee that puts it all together is made up of eight people who are extremely dedicated to this event, and work for months to make the event a reality. We are currently looking for more committee members for next year. If you are interested, please contact Carla Finch at carla.j.finch@gmail.com or Patty Mead at prmead416@gmail.com.
Finding gardens for the tour is a key component, and requires year-round vigilance. Ideally, we would like to lock up next year’s line-up of gardens now so that we can take photos of the gardens in bloom this year. These photos are used in the brochure, articles and advertisements that are produced in winter and spring months. If you are interested or if you know someone with a beautiful yard who we should contact, reach out to Carla or Patty at the emails above.
We are also continually looking for volunteers to work the day of the event. Volunteers work in three-hour shifts so they can check out the gardens for free the other half of the day. If you are interested, contact Kate Blanas at klblanas@gmail.com.
Finally, one unique feature of the Garden Walk is the participation of local artists at each location. We have the pleasure of working with a wide array of artistic talent including sculptors, painters, paper artists, jewelry makers and other mediums. This year we made it possible for attendees to purchase the artwork featured at the gardens. This turned out to be a welcome addition. If you or an artist you know are interested in participating next year, contact Micki Amick at mickiamick@gmail.com.
See you in the gardens next year!