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Brooklyn Botanic Garden 2005 Annual Report
Volunteers
Auxiliary member Joan McDonald (right) received the Merit Award for 10 years of volunteerism at BBG. She is joined here by her husband Steven Meltzer and fellow volunteer Janet Otranto (left).
Thanks to the help of more than 600 volunteers, Brooklyn Botanic Garden continues to thrive in all areas. Volunteers have given more than 51,000 hours of their time and talent to ensure that the Garden's needs are met in every situation. No job is too big or too small as BBG's volunteers organize things from mailing projects to major fund-raisers. They bring with them the highest level of commitment.
The Garden's annual Forsythia Day ceremony honors civic and philanthropic leaders of the borough with an award named after the official flower of Brooklyn. In 2005 the Forsythia Award was given posthumously to Brooklyn native Donald Carswell for his many years of service to Brooklyn Botanic Garden as a friend, leader, trustee, and vice chairman of the Board of Trustees. The Forsythia Youth Award was given to 15-year-old Daniela Cannizzaro. Daniela has demonstrated a strong desire to help others through her volunteer work at the Sunrise Assisted Living Center, Take a Bow Performing Arts Center, and most recently, in the office of City Councilman Lewis A. Fidler. The Distinguished Service Medal was presented to Simeon R. Gluckson for his longtime work and leadership as a trustee serving on many committees throughout the years; he was instrumental in creating the Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP), the popular children's summer camp that involves BBG and five other institutions.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Auxiliary once again provided record-breaking crowds and financial support with its three-day Annual Plant Sale, which drew nearly 16,000 visitors from throughout the region. The combination of beautiful weather, an excellent plant selection, and volunteers' assistance helped push this year's plant sale to new heights: It raised more than $150,000. The Auxiliary also published two more editions of The Volunteer and Staff Newsletter, now in its sixth year, which features articles on gardening and profiles of staff and volunteers. Highlights included the celebration of the 30th anniversary of BBG's Garden Guides and the 50th anniversary of the Fragrance Garden.
At the annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner, several awards were presented to volunteers. Bernard Loyal and Merlin Markinson received the Magnolia Award, given to the volunteers with the most documented hours of service in a year. Auxiliary member Joan McDonald received the Merit Award for her decade of voluntarism at BBG. She began her service as one of the first Discovery Cart volunteers and also helped at various special events. She went on to become a mainstay in the Gardener's Resource Center, where she volunteered for several years. Currently, Ms. McDonald plays an important part in the annual plant sale, ordering and displaying the perennials. The Merit Award, first given in 1976, recognizes outstanding volunteers who have assisted the staff and benefited the garden as a whole by fostering the advancement of botany and serving the community.