President`s Letter - Women`s Council of the Dallas Arboretum

President’s Letter
The Women’s Council year goes from June 1 through May 31st, so
technically my year is over (sadness!). I have so enjoyed being your
President for this year. I have learned a lot about how the Arboretum
“works” by attending extra board meetings. We are truly lucky to
have this “crown jewel” right here in Dallas. And with the opening of
the Rory Meyers Children’s Garden in September, the garden will be
an even more sought-after destination. I hope that you will bring all
of your out of town visitors to the Arboretum as well as attend often
yourself!
Now, to recap our year . . . what a great year it’s been for the Women’s
Council of the Dallas Arboretum! We started out with a bang, presenting a beautiful yearbook
to our members, a lovely general meeting at the Dallas Country Club followed by a wonderful
Welcome Party and our Chihuly Night Garden Party. And that was just in September!
Just a few highlights of the year include a very informative Writer’s Garden Literary Series
focusing on three authors, delightful garden trips, a trip to Pasadena, California where we
worked on a Rose Parade float, and a wonderful January meeting including bestowing the
Founder’s Award upon Shelby Marcus.
The rest of the year was capped off by the Winter Tea, the Mad Hatter’s Tea and Luncheon, and
most recently the Annual Spring Meeting at the new George W. Bush Presidential Library and
Museum. All of this was in addition to volunteer opportunities at the Arboretum. My sincere
thanks to all the chairs of these activities who really “made it happen.” The Women’s Council
has many opportunities to get involved. I hope you will tell your friends about all these options
and convince them to become active in our organization!
We are in great hands with our next president, Bettina Hennessy. I look forward to her
leadership! Sue Ringle
Donor Naming Update
The Women's Council expresses sincere thanks to the following for their Donor
Naming gifts to A Woman's Garden:
 Barbara Lake in naming The Genesis Garden
 Anne and Tom Barton in naming The Rockery
 Alan Walne for a stone bench on The Serpentine
Both Barbara Lake and Anne Barton are members of the Women's Council and
we are especially grateful for these generous gifts.
For information regarding naming opportunities in A Woman's Garden, please contact
Patricia Cowlishaw: 972.239.1702 , or via email: [email protected]
Spring General Meeting – May 7th
Jill Goldberg
Susan Scullin
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Just days after the April 25th dedication ceremony attended by all
five living U.S. Presidents (Barak Obama, George W. Bush, Bill
Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter) the Women’s
Council was privileged to host a “SOLD OUT” Spring Meeting at the
George W. Bush Presidential Center and Museum. Our thanks
go to co-chairs, Susan Scullin and Jill Goldberg, who planned an
outstanding Spring General Meeting, and to speaker Herb
Sweeney, Senior Associate of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.
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1) Katherine Phillips 2) Barbara Swearingen 3) Bettina Hennessy 4) Sue Ringle, Renee Faren, Marilyn Hailey, Sharon
Ballew 5) Mary Brinegar 6) Linda Spina, Kathy Cothrum 7) Carol Ann Brown 8) Kay Hammond, Jocelyn White 9) Beverly
Morrison, Marilyn Schmidt 10) Judy Garner 11) Kathleen Messina 12) Debby Anderson, Linda De Fee 13) Giana DePaul,
Gloria Lemm 14) Fran Clem 15) Margaret & Frank LaRocca, 16) Carol Epler 17) Tucean Webb 18) Anne Blomeyer, Markita
Thompson 19) Dick Respess, Michael & Nancy Murphy 20) Pam Kuehne, Carol Huckin, Paula Schofield 21) Jaclyn Braddy 2
Maggie Kipp and Shay Geyer, Mad Hatter’s Tea CoChairs, and Honorary Chair, Patty Dedman Nail, welcomed
Women’s Council members and guests to this year’s 25th Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This year’s Mad
Hatter’s Tea Party, themed “Adventures in Time,” was a tremendous success and enjoyed by all! Special
thanks to advisor, Carmaleta Whitely, Emcee Ron Corning and fashion show producer, Jan Strimple .
Mad Hatter’s Tea – April 11th
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Mad Hatter’s photo collage (individuals named left to right): 1) Emcee Ron Corning and hat judge, Anthony
Wilkinson, Director Tourism for NorthPark Center, 2) Elizabeth Rois-Mendez (winner of Most Elegant hat)
and hat judge, Lawrence Bock, President & Chairman of the Board, Bachendorf’s Jewelers, 3) Carmaleta
Whiteley, Advisor & “Fairy Godmother” holding crystal-encrusted magic wand, 4) hat judge, Julian Leaver,
CWP, Director of Weddings & Events, Bella Flora of Dallas, and Terry Irby, (winner Botanical hat), 5)
D’Andra Simmons (winner Best of Show: 25th Anniversary) and hat judge, Connie Dufner, Executive Editor
Modern Luxury Dallas and Editor-in-chief Modern Luxury Brides Dallas and MH media sponsor, 6) a few
of the members of Record In Time, (co-winners for group hat award) Wanda Means, Michelle Markey,
Valerie Istre, Jennifer Woulfe, 7) Mad Hatter’s co-chairs Maggie Kpp and Shay Geyer wearing “2” and “5”
hats commemorating 25th Mad Hatter’s anniversary, 8) a few of the members of Hollywood Glamour, (cowinners for group hat award) Sayrn Diets, Nancy Dedman, MH honorary chair, Patty Dedman Nail, and
Rachael Dedman, 9)Nancy Brite Smith and Morgan Ambrose, (winners of Most Outlandish: Wild, Wild
West) 10) Joani White (winner of Most True To Theme: Back To The Future – The Titanic and Steamer
Trunk) and hat judge, Daniel Winson Lewis, Owner, Green Peridot Concept Salon, 11) Paula Caldwell StOnge, hat judge and Consul General of Canada to the South Central United States and Yvonne Crum,
(winner Most Whimsical: Roaring Twenties), 12) Billy Fulmer (winner Gents Top Hats: Timeless) and Holly
Forsythe, co-owner Sambuca Restaurants, 13) Shane Walker, owner Shane Walker Designs, 14) Fashion
Show – designs of Roberto Cavalli and Oscar de la Renta, 15) Cristiano Mancini, of Roberto Cavalli, Sarah
Lindsay of Oscar de la Renta, Ken Valencia, of Roberto Cavalli 16) Cheryl Buckles and Miriam Pugliese, 17)
Vicki Midyett, Connie Rhoades, 18) Sue Ringle (WC President) and husband, Brett Ringle, 19) Heather
Centuroni, Angela Choquette, Katy Bock (wife of Lawrence Bock/Bachendorf’s), 20) luncheon
tables/settings, 21) Steve Kemble, “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru, 25th Anniversary Grand Entrance and
Photo Op designer, 22) table centerpiece, 23) Linda Spina, Bettina Hennessy (WC President Elect), Markita
Thompson, 24) Carol Resnick, Glenda Cotner, 25) Belinda Birchfield, and mother, Judy Birchfield.
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Spring Service and Education Trip – May 1st
Linda Spina escorted attendees on a well-planned and thoroughly enjoyable tour of Dallas urban parks and
private gardens in the May 1st Spring Trip. The tour began at Dallas’ recently opened 5.2 acre Klyde Warren
Park situated atop the Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Previously known as the Woodall Rodgers Park, Dallas
energy billionaire and chief executive of Energy Transfer Partners, Kelcy Warren’s donation secured park
naming rights in honor of his 9-year-old son, Klyde Warren.
Celia Barshop, VP Business Affairs and Michael Gaffney, VP Operations conducted the park tour. They
discussed details of how the park was created – from the utilization of a specially engineered organic soil and a
vigorous growing Bermuda 419 grass, to the planting of Pond Cypress, Panache Red Oak, Burr Oak, Chinese
Pistachio and Lace Bark Elm trees throughout the park and park utilization. Klyde Warren park has a
partnership with Southern Botanical, which has generously made a three year pledge to donate seasonal
plantings, color and maintenance for park flower beds and containers. The park is open daily from 6am to
11pm, has round the clock security and guest services personnel during the day to assist visitors. All park
events are free and open to the public, in fulfillment of the educational/entertainment mission of the park.
Next on the day’s agenda was a visit and guided tour by Dave Forehand, Dallas Arboretum VP Gardens and
Visitor Services, of the Belo Garden Park opened in 2011. Belo is one of two Dallas urban parks and part of a
master plan for the creation of five urban parks. At mid-day the ladies enjoyed an outstanding luncheon at The
Capital Grille followed by tours of two private gardens. Many thanks to the ever gracious Dave Forehand, for
joining the group and offering his descriptions and insights into these private residential gardens.
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Photos: 1) Mike Gaffney and Celia Barshop of Klyde Warren Park, 2) children’s area, 3) children’s area, 4) WC
Ladies at Klyde Warren Park, 5) Linda Spina briefing ladies on day’s agenda, 6) Belo Park, 7) Belo Park,
8) Patricia Cowlishaw and Carol Ann Brown walking at Klyde Warren Park, 9) WC Ladies listening to tour
guides at Klyde Warren Park, 10) Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge , a Santiago Calatrava-designed bridge, 11) Dave
Forehand, Dallas Arboretum VP of Gardens and Visitor Services discusses private garden with Beth Walthall
looking on, 12) Dallas private residential garden/landscape, 13) Dallas private residential garden/landscape
From The Editor
The Women’s Council newsletter is published
and archived on-line at our website:
www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org
as well as mailed to those members who have
requested paper copies as part of their
membership subscription. Should you have
newsletter submissions or questions, please
contact me at: phone: (214) 533-7033 or my
email address at: [email protected]
Sympathy and Condolences
A reminder to members and all those
looking forward to the opening of the
Rory Meyer’s Children’s Adventure
Garden — construction and weather
delays have resulted in a new opening
date now set for September 21st.
When opened, the garden will have
more than 150 exhibits devoted to
botany and earth sciences, as well as a
center with a 3-D theater, a wetlands
area, interactive exhibits devoted to
energy and a skywalk through the
treetops.
We close on a sad note as we extend sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Women’s Council members
and their families who have suffered illness or lost loved ones in recent months. Our thoughts are with
Barbara Bingham, who is fighting cancer; Judy Birchfield’s daughter, Belinda Birchfield who
recently underwent surgery; Dixie Marshall who is fighting cancer; Kim Matthews who lost her
husband Joe Matthews (son-in-law to member Claire Cunningham), Tincy Miller who lost her
husband, Vance Miller; and Katherine Phillips who was recently hospitalized with pneumonia. To
these members and others unmentioned, our thoughts and sympathy are with you and your family.
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Sue Ringle
3514 Gillon Ave
Dallas, TX 75205