May 19 2010 Union Plaza Receives $600,000 Gift
Lincoln Community Foundation makes largest gift in history on behalf of Grafs
Mayor Chris Beutler and the Lincoln Parks Foundation today announced a $600,000 gift to Union Plaza from the Lincoln Community Foundation on behalf of the Sheila Dickinson Dinsmore Graf and Burket Graf Fund. The funds will be used to build the park's outdoor amphitheater and surrounding trails.
"The Grafs generosity toward the City of Lincoln is inspiring," said Mayor Chris Beutler. "It's also an indication of the strength of our parks system and the community support for our parks. We understand the importance of parks in both our quality of life and our economic development efforts. We will continue to work diligently to find ways to leverage private resources with public dollars whenever possible to create lasting legacies." To Read More...
February 11 2010 Mayor Announces New Lincoln Cares Projects
Mayor welcomes media sponsors
Mayor Chris Beutler today announced that the Lincoln Cares program will help fund 10 projects and programs across the community in 2010. Lincoln Cares is a community donation program, which allows Lincoln Electric System (LES) customers to voluntarily add one dollar to their bill payments each month for projects not included in the City budget.
The Mayor made the announcement at the Prairie Building at Pioneers Park Nature Center, the new home of Heritage School and the proposed new home for the Hudson Cabin. Endowments for the two buildings that were part of Heritage Village at State Fair Park are on the new Lincoln Cares funding list. The 2010 projects also include an endowment for animal care at Pioneers Park.
Other new projects are Sherman Field support facilities; the Great Plains Trails Center at Union Plaza; the Trago Park Shelter; the Belmont Park Natural Play Area; solar lighting for Lewis Field and Tierra Park; and park and playground improvements at Elliott School, Antelope Park and Antelope Valley Trail. To read more...
September 9 2009 Three Gifts From Good Estate to Benefit Parks Projects
THREE GIFTS FROM KENNETH J. GOOD ESTATE TO FUND PARKS PROJECTS
Mayor Chris Beutler and the Lincoln Parks Foundation today announced that three significant gifts from the Kenneth J. Good estate will be used to fund two new program initiatives and a key amenity in Union Plaza. Good passed away in July 2008 at the age of 92. He was a UNL graduate who had a 31-year career as a soil scientist with the USDA Soil and Conservation Service in Lincoln.
"Mr. Good had a passion for parks, trees, and gardens, and these gifts will enable us to share his passion with future generations," said Mayor Beutler. "We are pleased that he recognized our excellent parks system and chose to support it in this way. His generosity is an inspiration to all of us, and we will work to find ways to leverage his gifts with other private and public resources while protecting Mr. Good's intent and wishes."
The first gift will establish a Public Gardens Internship, endowed through the Good estate in the amount of $162,000. This endowment will be managed by the Lincoln Parks Foundation. The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the University of Nebraska Horticulture Department will select and supervise an annual paid internship for one student to receive hands on training in the development and management of public gardens.
"This gift from Mr. Good will benefit not only aspiring horticulturalists, but all those who enjoy our public gardens in Lincoln and beyond," said Lynn Johnson, Director of the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department.
The second gift will establish the Tree Legacy Program. The Kenneth J. Good Environmental Enhancement Fund at the Lincoln Community Foundation will fund the initial infrastructure costs to create memorial tree groves across Lincoln. The public will be able to purchase trees as memorials to loved ones. The initial two tree legacy groves will be built at Mahoney Park and Antelope Park. "The gift from the Good estate will help us create the appropriate amenities to provide a place of serenity and reflection for Lincoln families now and for generations to come," said Johnson.
To provide additional support for the Tree Legacy program, the Lincoln Community Foundation will match the initial $50,000 in donations from the public. The match is made possible by two endowed funds held at the Lincoln Community Foundation: the Kenneth J. Good Endowed Fund and the Marjorie Barstow Endowed Fund. Interested individuals can purchase memorial trees at the $100, $250, and $500 levels and will receive varying levels of recognition for those gifts. The Tree Legacy program offers other donation options and recognition in addition to the purchase of memorial trees.
"Each year the Parks Foundation receives countless inquires from residents who want to donate a tree as a tribute to or in memory of someone they love throughout the Lincoln Parks system," said Christie Dionisopoulos, President of the Lincoln Parks Foundation. "At the same time, the Parks Department has challenges in tending to newly planted trees across the City. This program allows residents to purchase living legacies and ensures an efficient use of City resources and tax dollars. The Tree Legacy program is a shining example of public private partnerships at their best."
More information about the Tree Legacy program is available at www.lincolnparks.org
The third gift from the Kenneth J. Good estate in the amount of $150,000 has been accepted by the Lincoln Parks Foundation to fund a fountain in Union Plaza. The fountain will be at street level between "O" and "P" streets and will represent the precipitation that falls on the plains, supporting native landscapes and agriculture in our State.
Good was born in Peru, Nebraska and moved to Lincoln at age 13. He attended Lincoln High and graduated from UNL in 1937 with a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences, majoring in Agronomy. He served in the armed forces overseas, and upon his return from England, he began his career with the USDA.
Vicki Huff, trust officer at Union Bank and personal friend of Mr. Good, said he denied himself many "creature comforts" to accumulate a substantial nest egg to benefit charitable organizations in Nebraska committed to parks, trees and gardens. "Ken was a gentle and compassionate man who left life a much better place for him having been in it," Huff said. "He will be missed but his gifts represent his passions for many years to come."
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2008
Parks Foundation Selects Officers, Directors, and Trustees
Christie Dionisopoulos has been elected Chair of the Lincoln Parks Foundation Board of Directors. Other officers elected are Bob Northrup of Northrup Design, Vice Chair, Liz Lange of the NU Foundation, Secretary and Bill Woito, Treasurer.
New Directors elected to the Board are Orville Jones, Heather Keele of Unthank Design, Lindsay Schellpeper of Ameritas, Devon Seacrest of WRK, LLC, and Jayne Snyder of Snyder Physical Therapy.
Returning Directors include Mary Arth, Bob Baldwin, Bill Blake of Baylor, Evnen, Curtiss, Grimmit & Witt, LLP, Karen Hand of Lincoln Public Schools, Sandra Hilsabeck-Hastings, Lynn Johnson, Director of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Joyce Johnson of Joyce Johnson Insurance, Dan King of Lincoln Lancaster County Health Dept., Mike Seacrest, and Bus Whitehead of Whitehead Oil.
Trustees are selected by virtue of their demonstrated interest in maintaining and improving the high quality of Lincoln's Parks and Recreation system and because of their integrity and fine reputations within the community. Members of this newly created Board include Harley Bair, Chris Beutler, Dick Campbell, JeNeane and Roger Dodson, Albert Hamersky, Don Hamann, Bill Harvey, Dale Jensen, Roger Ludemann, and Clancy Woolman.
March 13, 2008 ANTELOPE VALLEY PARK TO BE NAMED UNION PLAZA: Union Bank and Trust makes historic gift to community
Mayor Chris Beutler today announced that the new park planned as part of the Antelope Valley Project will be named Union Plaza to recognize a $1.5 million gift from Union Bank and Trust Company. The park will be built along the new waterway in six-acre area between 21st, 22nd, "O" and "R" streets. Read Full Story...
May 7, 2007
Antelope Park Rose Garden Renovation Campaign Reaches its Goal
The campaign to renovate, restore and modernize the Antelope Park Rose Garden has successfully reached its $350,000 goal. Read More...
September, 14 2007
A Night at the Gardens
By Sandy Hilsabeck-Hastings
LPF Executive Committee President
Bill Blake called from Seward and said cars were pulling off the road because the storm was so strong. We just finished setting up the display tables and placed the beautiful bouquets made by Alice Reed-Dzerk (one of the master gardeners of Sunken Gardens with Steve Nosal and Mark Canney). People were arriving. The clouds surrounded us on all sides. It sprinkled. Should we move to Auld Recreation center which was our backup. No, it is 6:15 and the musicians, Kacy Wanek and her string quartet, just started playing. Let's start early. Read More...
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