When three Chicagoland gardeners set out to raise money for charitable causes close to their hearts, they looked no further than their own backyards.
Filled with lush vegetation and abundant diversity, the gardens of Mary Anne Ostrenga of Naperville, Vicky Wauterlek of Barrington, and Betsy and John Sullivan of Plainfield served as springboards for fundraising events that have generated millions of dollars.
“Gardening has really been my passion for a number of years and trying to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research is something I’ve dedicated my time to because it will hopefully help me and other generations to come. So for me a garden walk really seemed like a natural thing,” says Ostrenga, co-chair of the TeamFox Garden Walk.
To date, the garden walk, which began in Ostrenga’s garden three years ago, has raised nearly $65,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. This year organizers hope the event—planned for June 28th at six gardens in Naperville’s River and Royce Woods subdivisions —raises $50,000.
“Who doesn’t love a beautiful garden?” says Diane Breece, co-chair of TeamFox Garden Walk. “It’s a calming sort of thing.”
That sentiment was among the inspirations behind the Sullivans’ garden walk. Begun three years ago in their own expansive garden, Timmy’s Hugs & Hearts Garden Walk raises money for the pediatric unit of the Joliet Area Community Hospice, where their 7-year-old grandson has received care since he was 18 months old.
“When people pass away and donations are made to a hospice, it goes to a general fund, but the pediatric side needs donations, so we wanted to get some sort of fundraiser to help other families,” says Betsy Sullivan. “It’s just a nice way to spend the day—to get out with friends and enjoy some beautiful gardens where the money is going to help little kids.”
Held June 27, the event will again feature the Sullivans’ garden, the gardens at the hospice center and several other gardens near Elwood. This year, organizers hope to raise $15,000 for the hospice center.
But the garden walks do more than raise funds—they
also increase awareness.
For Vicky Wauterlek, who organized the Barrington Country Garden and Antique Faire nine years ago, educating the public about her cause is nearly as
important as fundraising.
More than a decade ago, after a trip to Nigeria where
she witnessed the plight of the country’s poor and uneducated women, Wauterlek decided she needed to help.
“I thought, first of all, these women needed a voice and someone to tell their stories,” she explains. ”And as I told the women in my community about what was happening, they felt the same way. When we looked at the cause, the great need, but also our culture, we realized we were not going to be able to have a black tie affair. But why not a garden fair that raises awareness while people attend?”
What began nine years ago as a smallish event in Wauterlek’s own backyard has blossomed into an elegant affair drawing 2,000 attendees and garnering about $275, 000 annually for Hands of Hope, the non-profit agency that Wauterlek founded to benefit African women and children. This year the fair will be held June 19 and 20 in the lavish gardens of three Barrington estates.
While the success of the event is a testament to its ongoing allure, the fair continues to appeal to its volunteers.
“We’ve built a community of women around this fair who have learned they can take the gifts they have – whether it’s painting furniture or arranging flowers – to make a difference in the world,” Wauterlek says.
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Want to Learn More? TeamFox Garden Walk
Email Ostrenga at teamfoxgardenwalk@yahoo.com or
Visit www.teamfox.org/teamfox/ostrenga Timmy Hugs & Hearts Garden Walk
Call the Sullivans at 815-436-2480 or
Call the Joliet Community Hospice at 815-740-4104 or
Visit www.joliethospice.org The Barrington Country Garden & Antique Faire
Visit www.handsofhopeonline.org |
