Spring 2011 - Friends of Balboa Park

Millennium
Minutes
Spring 2011
Chairman’s Message
Board of Directors
Laurie Broedling
Barbara Brown
Libby Carson
Caroline C. Chen
Dean M. Crowder
Tom W. Goad
James M. Hughes
Susan J. Hoekenga
Todd Kinnear
Maureen Lamberti
David Lynn
Betty Peabody
Marvin A. Spira
Linda P. Spuck
Ken Tranbarger
Marleen Williams
Ann Wilson
Heather H. Xitco
Advisory Council
Jodie Bruhn
Louise Hay
Bill Maheu
Toby Reschan
True Ryndes
Rosetta Sciacca Volkov
Steven Wall
Donald G. Yeckel
Staff
Lorraine F. Schmalenberger
Leslie Yu
It has been my great privilege to serve
as Chairman of the Friends of Balboa Park.
As my term comes to a close this month, I
would like to share my thoughts on issues
impacting the park today.
There have been many exciting announcements about the future of Balboa
Park. What will be done to commemorate the
Centennial Anniversary in 2015? Mayor Jerry
Sanders announced his goal: restore Plaza de
Panama as a grand public plaza and remove
parking in the plaza.
Is there a solution for parking in the Plaza
de Panama? This past summer Irwin Jacobs
brought forward a plan that calls for building
a paid parking structure in the Organ Pavilion lot. It will be accessed by a two-lane bypass bridge, which will knock down a section
of the Cabrillo Bridge. The bypass bridge
will direct traffic through the Alcazar Garden parking lot. The public has engaged in a
lively debate about the project at the Balboa
Park Committee for the last few months. To
learn about plans for the Plaza and to register
your ideas, I urge you to attend meetings on
the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm.
How do we address the long-term maintenance
and infrastructure needs of the park estimated to
be at least $230M? Mayor Sanders’ answer:
Form a conservancy to tackle the large-scale
capital and program needs for the park. We
look forward to working with this group as
they focus on raising the resources necessary
to carry out this task.
What is being done to protect the park’s horticultural assets? The Friends has placed a high
priority on caring for trees, native plants, the
nursery, and the Botanical Building. There are
now more flowers on display in the building
than in previous years. In addition to our ongoing
park-wide efforts to increase plantings and water
conservation, in this newsletter you will learn
about our other activities including “ReLeaf ”,
Arbor Day, and a Florida canyon clean up.
How will visitors find museums, restaurants and
restrooms as well as important exhibits and special
events leading up to the 2015 Exposition? We
will soon break ground on two new high-tech
interactive information kiosks, bringing the
total to five in strategic sites located throughout
the Park. In addition to many private gifts, Las
Patronas and the Balboa Park Trust were instrumental in making this project a reality this year.
What is being done to create a memorable
experience for the next generation of park leaders?
This year we will replace outdated playground
equipment at the Sixth Avenue Playground.
We’ve funded improvements in Zorro Butterfly Garden for Family Science Day coming
in March and we brought in 300 students from
John Muir Magnet School for a day of learning
at the museums.
I have enjoyed getting to know many
people and organizations during my tenure and
want to thank you for making my job a pleasant and educational one. In closing I would
like to acknowledge the wonderful donation
from Dr. Richard and Rita Atkinson. On
behalf of the board I want to convey our gratitude for their support, and to all our members
and granting organizations for their donations.
Every contribution makes a meaningful difference. We thank you all for entrusting us
to continue our mission to “preserve Balboa
Park’s legacy for future generations through
park-wide projects.”
by Maureen Lamberti
Balboa Park Celebrates
Arbor Day March 10
Friends of Balboa Park to plant trees at
Morley Field
On Thursday, March 10th, Friends of
Balboa Park will celebrate Arbor Day by
planting ficus trees along Upas Street by the
Morley Field Sports Complex in Balboa Park.
Students from School in the Park, Roosevelt Middle School, and the San Diego
High School’s Garden Club will be on hand
along with the San Diego Urban Corps
and San Diego Park & Recreation to help
the Friends plant a grove of ficus trees. Trees
and planting elements have been provided
by California ReLeaf, CalFire, the Balboa
Park nursery, and the San Diego Zoo.
This will be the fourth year Friends of
Balboa Park has sponsored an Arbor Day
celebration. The first Arbor Day in San Diego was organized by Kate Sessons. Along
with the volunteer work party we will host
a brief ceremony to commemorate the day
featuring Councilman Todd Gloria, Park
& Recreation Director Stacey LoMedico,
and other park experts to talk about why
greening the park is good for everyone
including the soil, the air, the neighbors, the
zoo animals, and future generations. The
event is FREE and the public is invited.
Donations of $100 or more will purchase
trees to replenish the stock of those being
planted. A donation may be made in honor or
in memory of a special loved one. We will list
the donors and honorees in our program and
send a special “tree certificate” indicating a
tree was planted for them on Arbor Day. Call
or e-mail the Friends to learn how your donation can make a difference: 619.232.2282
or [email protected]
Th Year
The
Y
in
i Review
R i
Someone is sitting in the shade today because
a tree was planted a long time ago...Please
join us on March 10 to celebrate Arbor Day!
WHEN: Ceremony: 10:30 a.m. Tree Planting: 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Morley Field Sports Complex, 2229 Morley Field Drive,
San Diego, CA 92104 (near Texas and Upas Street).
RSVP: To Friends of Balboa Park by Monday, March 7.
Tel: 619.232.2282 or E-mail: [email protected]
BRING: If you plan to participate in the tree planting, bring closetoed shoes, wear comfortable clothing, and bring your own shovel
(labeled) if you have one. Light refreshments will be provided.
A Special Thanks...Friends of Balboa Park has received a
grant from the State ReLeaf program in support of Arbor Day. We
will be planting more trees on the south escarpment of Palm Canyon
at the end of April in celebration of National Arbor Day, April 29. The
trees, will be a combination of Elephant Ear Trees—also known as
Monkey Ear or Ear Pod Tree, and Brazilian Fern Trees—also known
as Guapuruvu, Ficheiria, Guanacaxtle, or Tower Tree. Park Arborist
Mike Marika helped us select the tree species and location, and
Indian Rock Cycads & Palms nursery in Escondido made an
in kind donation for the planting. We’re also grateful to Dick
and Dorothea Laub, whose contributions to park irrigation have
allowed Park & Recreation to more effectively manage park-wide
horticulture irrigation and water conservation.
Support for this project was provided
in part by California ReLeaf and the
California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection with funds provided by
the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality
and Supply, Flood Control, River and
Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006
Balboa Park celebrates 1st Arbor Day in 1905
Family Science Day March 19
Quiet Majesty
Friends’ to stage Butterfly Release in Zoro Garden
Science + Family x Balboa Park = Fun is
the formula derived when 20 Balboa Park
institutions join together to present the
2011 Science Family Day. Taking place
on Saturday March 19, from 10 am to 3pm,
the park-wide event kicks off the weeklong
San Diego Science Festival 2011, as various
museums and cultural institutions feature
science-related hands-on activities and
special programs for kids of all ages.
Former Balboa Park Horticulturalist Kathy
Puplava who retired in 2005, continues to
support the park, first as president of City
Beautiful and more recently, as a member of
the Friends Horticulture Committee. Recently
she sent her thoughts on the importance of
landscape to the park. Here is an excerpt:
I am so encouraged that the Friends of Balboa
Park has taken an interest in the value of
the Balboa Park landscape. Unlike other
park programs that are subject to budget reductions, there is no citizen group to express
support of the park horticulture as there
might be for a park program such as services
to seniors, youth and to people with disabilities. Athletic and cultural programs will also
usually have a group that will speak for the
value of those programs, but the trees and
the plants in Balboa Park stand in quiet
majesty as the budget cuts loom. Unlike
deferred maintenance of park hardscape and
buildings, deferred maintenance to living
plants and trees may very well result in
their death and their loss to the park forever.
photo by Richard Seignious
Friends of Balboa Park is pleased to again partner with the
San Diego Floral Association to present “Butterflies in Zoro
Garden” capped off with a 1:00 p.m. release of hundreds of
monarch butterflies into the insect friendly garden. There will
be butterfly crafts and butterfly face painting for younger kids.
The garden will showcase a new butterfly mosaic birdbath, new
plants, garden brochures, and other garden improvements funded
by the Danzig family on behalf of their mother Geri, a Master
Gardener whose love for plants and Balboa Park will inspire
future generations of kids and families visiting Zoro Garden.
Children 17 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult
admission at participating museums during the park-wide event.
All Balboa Park Science Family Day activities will take place on
March 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted in
the schedule of activities which may be viewed from the Balboa
Park website: www.balboapark.org
Tour of Palm Canyon April 2
5
Join us on Saturday, April 2 for a walking tour of Palm Canyon to learn about the 70 species of palms from around
the world that adorn this lush hide-away located a stone’s throw from the Balboa Park Club. The history of the
canyon dates back to the early 1800’s when the city used the area to collect stray horses, cows and other missing
animals. Today Mexican fan palms towering 80-100 feet into the sky dot the canyon and dozens of unique and
exotic palms form an impressive collection including several
on the endangered species list. You’ll learn about the log
bridge constructed for the 1935 exposition and the wooden
bridge and stairs built in 1976 as well as how plans for the
Alcazar parking lot could impact this important park treasure.
Extensive plantings were completed for the 1915 and 1935
Expositions, and today the canyon has been the site of water
conservation efforts by the Friends to ensure these majestic
palms thrive for decades to come. To register for the walk
call us @ 619.232.2282 or email [email protected]
listing Palm Canyon in the subject line.
postcard courtesy David Marshall (circa 1940)
A Valentine for Balboa Park
by Lorraine Schmalenberger
Valentines come in many forms and in midFebruary one came in the form of a native
species white alder tree planted in honor of
long time volunteer gardener Jesus “Chuy”
Armas. Mr. Armas created and has tended
a delightful garden at the corner of Florida
Canyon and Upas Street for over a decade.
On February 13, Park Ranger Zana
Kerr led a group of Chuy’s friends and
family joined by Friends of Florida
Canyon and Friends of Balboa Park
volunteers to pick up trash and plant native
trees and shrubs in the Canyon floor along
the creek bed in a area south of Chuy’s
garden. See the list (below) of the native
plant species that were planted in the canyon.
Mr. Armas was nominated for a Cox
Conserves Heroes award last spring, and as a
result of online voting, the Friends of Balboa
Park received a $5,000 grant award from Cox
Communications in his honor. With a
recent grant from the Heller Foundation
for canyon reforestation, Friends of Balboa
park is making a substantial effort to
reintroduce native species in Balboa Park’s
canyons this year. Kudos to Mr. Armas’
neighbor Lorena Slomanson for helping us
reach Chuy’s friends in the Florida Canyon
neighborhood to help commemorate the
occasion.
The Friends of Florida Canyon gather
every second Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the west
end of Morley Field, in the dog off leash area
parking lot and next to the California Native
Plant Demonstration Garden (CNPDG).
Volunteers are always welcome according
to canyoneer and native plant steward Alan
Bennett, who helped supervise the planting.
For more information, contact Alan Bennett,
Friends of Florida Canyon: alanbennett@
hotmail.com or tel: 619.955.3275. The
CNPDG brochure can be found at www.
friendsofbalboapark.org. More photos are
also available online of our February 13
celebration and work party.
More Kiosks are coming!
Ten deserving San Diego nonprofits received their much-anticipated grant funding
from Las Patronas on January 19. Friends of
Balboa Park was among the major beneficiaries to help fund two additional information
kiosks in Balboa Park. The funding for the
beneficiaries was generated through a yearlong
fundraising effort by Las Patronas with the
support of the San Diego community, culminating in the 2010 Heart + Soul Jewel Ball.
The kiosks will be installed at the corner of
the Pan American Plaza near the intersection
of Presidents Way and Pan American Road
and at the Inspiration Point tram stop. Expect
to see them up and running by June of 2011.
For more information and sponsorship opportunities on this project, please contact our
office: [email protected]
Top: Maureen Lamberti, Kim Alessio of Las Patronas, Ken
Tranbarger, Libby Carson.
Bottom: Ken Tranberger, Kiosk Committee Chair, accepts
$50,000 check from Lise Wilson, immediate past Jewel Ball
Chair for Heart + Soul.
Florida Canyon native plants
The planting to honor Chuy on February 13th in
Florida Canyon used the following native plants:
Alnus rhombifolia – White Alder (Chuy’s tree)
Baccharis viminea – Seep willow
Carex spissa – San Diego Sedge
Isocoma menziesii sedoides – Menzies’ Goldenbush
Juncus acutus ssp. Leopoldii – Spiny Rush
Lotus Scoparius– Deerweed
Muhlenbergia rigens – Deer Grass
Platanus racemosa – California Sycamore
Populus fremontii Zapata – Fremont Cottonwood
Ribes Speciosum – Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry
Rosa californica – California Wild Rose
Salix laevigata – Red willow
Sambucus mexicana – Mexican elderberry
photos this page by Maureen Lamberti and Peter Schmalenberger
Tapestries of Time...
Collection of Memories now online
Field Trip to Balboa Park
by Lorraine Schmalenberger
What kid wouldn’t choose a day in the park
over a day in the classroom? It gets even
better when the classroom is the park, and
children begin to understand the people
behind the scenes at the park institutions and
what inspires them. On February 4, students
from John Muir Magnet School got a
lesson in civic duty during their field trip
to Balboa Park. Working within the theme
of “Building Global Citizens”, the students
ranging from elementary age to high school
visited many of the park’s institutions in one
day, while asking docents, volunteers, and
museum educators:
Who are the people who founded this site and
why did they do it?
What is the relationship between the site and the
public?
Who makes decisions about what events are held
and what exhibits are displayed?
How are volunteers selected and trained?
The Friends of Balboa Park funded site
visits to the Marston House, the Museum
photos and drawings by
of Photographic Arts, the San Diego Art
John Muir students
Institute, and a behind-the-scenes visit of the
San Diego Zoo. Special recognition goes to Ross Porter from The
Committee of One Hundred for leading the architecture walking
tour. At the San Diego Zoo, the kids got to meet a zoo keeper who
tends the meerkats and lemurs where they were able to pet the
animals, view their food preparation area, and learn about how the
zoo mounts an exhibit and collaborates with other zoos to lend or
procure special animals. The students learned about all the people
it takes to organize public tours – docents, volunteers, zoo keepers,
Park Rangers, and staff – to find out how they were trained, and
what motivates them to continue doing their work.
The Friends has funded field trips for over 1,500 children from
Title I (eligible low-income student populations) schools. We hope
to serve additional children this year through the generous donation
of the Ellen and Edward G. Wong Family Foundation. We
thank the good work of our partners and museum friends in the
Balboa Park Educators’ Council who create and put together these
field trips, tours, and special workshops for our future generation of
park stakeholders!
Published in 1997 by Betty and Homer
Peabody - for the reopening of the House
of Hospitality - these special recollections of
Balboa Park by older generations of San Diegans are now online at our website: www.
friendsofbalboapark.org.
Featuring memories from the Expositions
of 1915-16 and 1935-6, WWI and WWII,
the stories conjure the happiness the park
has meant to our community and beyond.
We will continue to publish and update the
online collection with new memories - send
us yours! Photos are also welcome.
from Hamilton Marston:
“My earliest memory of Balboa Park is that
of a five-year old child going home in the
arms of a parent across the Cabrillo Bridge
under a night sky brightened by exploding
fireworks and the lights of the bridge and
the California Tower.”
postcard courtesy of David Marshall
Poinsettia Dedication Party
Kicks off December Festivities
by Susan Hoekenga
The Friends welcomed guests and park dignitaries to a reception in the Botanical Building on December 9 to celebrate the installation of hundreds of poinsettias
in a gesture that has helped welcome the winter holidays in Balboa Park for over five
decades.
Park & Recreation Department’s Developed Regional Parks Deputy Director
Kathleen Hasenauer welcomed the group and acknowledged the beautiful display
arranged by botanical building staff, while Ruth Hayward offered a historic perspective on the poinsettia display and how it has evolved to present day. Councilman
Todd Gloria cited his top five reasons for liking poinsettia including “As a Councilmember I have to deal with a lot of “P” word – pension, politics, police, parking,
petitions, problem, potholes, so poinsettia is by far my favorite!” Board chairman
Maureen Lamberti closed the program with thanks to the 60+ donors, foundations,
businesses, and groups that purchased poinsettias for display.
Thank
In Memory of *
Betty Lou Baker
Bill Baker
Mary H. Clark
Mo and Nancy Bildsoe
Tom Cerutti
Lea Grey Dimond
James and Maxine Hall
Bert Mullin
Charlotte Nielsen
Harold and Jean Peterson Jr.
Patricia Small
Ginger Wallace
Nancy Gibson
Carolyn Nebeker
2010
24th Annual Donor Honor Roll
with special
contributions
by:
DONORS
HONOREES
Yoli Banda
Josephine Bell
Robert and Myrna Bossler
Bromeliad Study Group of
Balboa Park
Libby Carson
Nancy Carol Carter
Darlene G. Davies
Cath DeStefano
Ruth Dickinson
Kim Duclo
Sandra Fortin and Marlys Perovich
Patricia Fry
Louise Hay
Susan Hoekenga
Ruth A. Hayward
Ann Hill
Dorothy Jensen
Kathy Kalab
Christine Kehoe
Maureen Lamberti
Paula Landale
Dick and Dorothea Laub
Rodger and Mary Lindsay
Kevin Munnelly
Kathy Puplava
Jeannette B. Rigsby
Eileen R. Samuels
San Diego Botanical Garden
Foundation Inc.
San Diego Geranium Society
Donald Steele
Ken and MaryTranbarger
Shirley A. Walkoe
Carol L. Weiss
Patricia C. Williams
Carol and Herman Wong
Capt. Sue E. Young
Leslie Yu
Allan and Beverly Zukor
Max Adams
Lindsey and Bosaa Bell
Balboa Park Gardeners
Ann, Brice, Kate, Bob & Myrna Bossler
Michael C. Clardy
Susie Creamer
Debra Davino
Dr. Philip H. Dickinson
Glenda, Jack, Lisa, Morgan,
Sandra Duclo, & Ramona White
Friends of Balboa Park
Cheryl Gaidmore
Allen C. and Loretta C. Geer
David Thomas Gould
Kay Harry
Gary and Marlene Kachur
Phil Klauber
Lucy Kramer
Nelly and Agustin Leon
Marjorie and Willis Lipscomb
Jack and Eunice Martin
Betty Peabody
Lorraine Schmalenberger
Valerie Simopoulos
Loretta C. Stevenson
August W. Weber
Gino, Beverly, Tracy, & Bonnie Yu
In Memory of:
Eugene K. Clardy
Pauline des Granges
Elaine French
Kathleen McCarthy Garrett
Helen and Andrew Harding
George Johnson
Claire Lamberti
William C. McCarthy MD
Tony Pitko
George P. Rigsby
Mollie Samuels
Frances Tranbarger
Albert Walkoe
* Loved ones who have passed
away are listed in bold. Donors are
listed below their names. Donations
are accepted in memory of a family
member or friend and will be listed
here. Amounts are not shown, and
donor acknowledgement cards are
mailed to the familiy members as
directed by the donor. 3
Your Legacy Gift
to the park
Please act now to establish
your Balboa Park legacy
today by naming us in your
will. To make a specific
bequest, or to notfy us of
your plans, please contact
us at 619.232.2282. Please
join those who, these past
100 years, have helped keep
the park a priceless treasure
for future generations.
The
Rodger & Mary Lindsay
Poinsettia Fund
Poinsettia Party Photos
by Ken Tranbarger
You Members and Donors
Donations listed were received from November 11, 2010 to Feburary 28, 2011
Donor Honor Roll
$100,000-$149,999
Dr. Richard and Rita Atkinson
$50,000 - $99,000
Las Patronas
$25,000 - $49,999
Balboa Park Trust of
The San Diego Foundation
$20,000- $24,999
Dick and Dorothea Laub
$5,000 - $9,999
Ellen and Edward G. Wong
Family Foundation
$2,500 - $4,999
The Heller Foundation
1,000 - $2499
Archie and Joan Freitas
Al and Dorothy Frost
Audrey Geisel,
Dr. Seuss Foundation
IBM Corporation
Ingrid Hibben
Glenn and Lynne Rossman
$500 - $999
Francisco Aguirre
John and Libby Carson
Gregory and Loretta Cass
George Harbaugh
Carolyn Nebeker
Betty Peabody, in honor of
Dick & Dorothea Laub’s
60th wedding anniversary
Charlotte Nielsen
Linda Spuck
Gene and Celeste Trepte
Marie Tuthill
Dr. James and Barbara Wilson
$250 - $499
James and Jewell Bonner
John and Jodie Bruhn
Elisabeth “Jinx” Ecke
Jerry Freeland and Margot Walk
Jeanne Frost
Ruth Hayward
Dan and Marilyn Herde
Aline Hornaday
Maureen Lamberti
Paula Landale
$250 - $499 (continued)
Scott and Elizabeth McClendon
Bill and Blaise Pope
Michael Schwerin and Laura Greene
$100 - $249
Bob and Kay Anderson
Robert Anderson
William and Shauna Anderson
Don and Sharon Balfour
Carolina Bejarano
John and Sally Berry
Mo and Nancy Bildsoe
Marilyn Brucker
Roger Carr
Hon. Arthur J. Collingsworth
and Brian R. Simmons
COHN Restaurant Group
Dean Crowder
Stewart and Konnie Dadmun
Shirley Daley
Jack and Donna Damson
James and Rita David
Bea Epsten
Francis Fischer
Kathryn Guymon
Doris Heramb
Dorothy Hummell
Erik Kerckhoff
Bruce and Muriel Kimball
Dirk and Kitty Kingma
Patricia Kreder
John and Mary Ellen Lundsten
Deborah Mandabach
Lynne Martin
David McLean
Don and Rita Morgan
Lewis and Tricia Moulton
Bert Mullin
Luis and Eleanor Murillo
Jack and Judy Nichols
Charlotte Nielsen
John and Deborah Pate
Lois Roon
Joe Silverman
Mike and Sharon Singleton
Patricia Small
Mary Smith and Betty Garcia
Susan Springstead
Linda Spuck
Deborah Szekely
Tom and Kathleen Volle
Rex and Kathy Warburton
H. Cameron Williams
Corporate and
Foundation Support
$36-$99
Robert and Gay Ames
Joseph and Ronnie Barone
Charles and Charlotte Bird
George Boone
Jack and Barbara Cook
Marijeanne Crabtree
Mizzi Diamond
Dr. Bernard Eggersten and
Florence Nemkov
Arline Fisch
Carol Fitzgibbons
George and Lucy Franck
Phil and Lyn Gildred
Norman and Patricia Gillespie
Jo Dee Jacob
John Jensen
Dee and Nikki Krutop
Karen Longstreth
Gordon and Nan Lutes
Lena Martell
Judy Nachazel
Felix Pangelinan
James and Cathy Potter
Ralph and Debbie Richey
Lea and Betsy Rudee
Gretchen Vik
$35 & under
Maxine Allen
Barbara Beeler
Jacqueline Butler
Kirk Butler
Lee Collins
Bruce Coons
Elaine Dlouhy
Louise L. Hay
Susan Houser
Theodora Hussong
Mary Lynn Hyde
Carolyn Johnson
Roy Jones
Janet La Marche
Ruth Leerhoff
Paul and Maggie Meyer
Harold and Jean Peterson, Jr.
Hon. Louisa Porter and
David Brennan
John and Mary Jane Power
Daniel and Kathy Puplava
Sue Randerson
Glen and Katherine Sandstrom
Ed Streicher
Patricia Sweeting
Larry and Patricia Williams, in
honor of Tom Goad
If we have inadvertently omitted
or misspelled your name, please
let us know. The Friends of Balboa
Park is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
organization and all donations are
tax deductible as allowed by law.
Tax ID # 33-0849518
For more information, call our
office at (619) 232-2282 or e-mail
[email protected].
Friends of Balboa Park
c/o Balboa Park Administration Building
2125 Park Blvd.
San Diego, California 92101
NON PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
SAN DIEGO CA
PERMIT NO. 339
P: (619) 232-2282
F: (619) 232-2281
E: [email protected]
W: friendsofbalboapark.org
Return Service Requested
In Memoriam
Mary Clark and Ginger Wallace
by Betty Peabody
Our world is diminished by the loss of two outstanding
women over the holidays, Mary Clark & Ginger
Wallace. After their births, the molds were broken.
They were originals.
Mary had a will of iron softened by Southern
Magnolias. She was sweet, gracious and focused. Raised
in a segregated south, Mary shared her wonderfully
independent thoughts in a letter to her friends during
the last presidential election.
Ginger was a “zany genius”, academically brilliant
and artistically above peer. She invented “bling” before
it had a name. Soft spoken but with her original jewelry
designs, she flashed and sparkled her way into our lives
and consciousness. She was never without candy treats
for her friends.
Both were committed to numerous worthwhile
causes. Each shared a passion for Balboa Park. Mary
was devoted to the Natural History Museum and her
husband, Dallas, to the zoo. She stated their meal time
conversations were sometimes very lively! Ginger was
the first, most illustrious president of the Klee Wyk
Society, the auxiliary to the Museum of Man, and
remained a vigorous champion of Bea Evenson who
founded the Committee of 100.
Each was gifted with a pen. How we looked
forward to Christmas greetings with Mary’s heartfelt
sensitive verses about life and
Ginger’s scintillating “twinkle”
yard long panels of colorful,
clever illustrations, signed
Shirley Temple & Errol Flynn.
Both Ginger & Mary
were showered with accolades
during their lives. Into
perpetuity there is a subspecies
Marsh Wren named for Mary
and the SDAI “Ginger Award” will continue to go to an
outstanding community volunteer each year.
The Friends of Balboa Park is proud to have
recognized both Dallas & Mary Clark and Bob & Ginger
Wallace with our highest honor, The Millennium Award
at our Luncheons in 2003 & 2007.
It is the end of an era and we applaud the lives of
these very sharing women in our park. We are grateful
for their largess and contributions to the richness of the
fabric of our community and are very appreciative of
your donations in the memory of
each of these very special ladies.
above: Ginger & Bob Wallace,
2007 Millennium Award Honorees
af left: Mary and Dallas Clark,
2003 Millennium Award Honorees