Activity Report
Every year, FOGP raises new funds and makes friends and invests strategically in park preservation and stewardship.
We encourage you to join in the fun and support the park projects that interest you most!.
FRIENDS OF GARFIELD PARK 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW
The FOGP wishes to thank our 2019 Donors and continued partners. Because of you we are able to make a daily difference in our city’s most historic Garfield Park.
Today we face uncertain times ahead, but our great park awaits us when get to the other side. The FOGP stands ready to support the good work of our Indy Parks team and is currently funding spring beautification projects and community relief programs taking place at the Burrello Center!
Together we can all make a difference and your continued partnership is appreciated!
Stay tuned to this website and follow us on Facebook to stay informed and thank you for your continued support! A great park deserves great friends!
D. Mark Bowell – Executive Director, Friends of Garfield Park, Inc.
Sponsorship & Programming
In 2019 Friends of Garfield Park provided more than $50,000 in support to help improve park amenities and enhance park programming. Examples of 2019 supported activities included:
- Youth, adult and senior camps
- Vintage Movie Nights
- First Friday Musicians at the Garfield Park Art Center
- Garfield Shakespeare Company theatre programming in the park
- A new outdoor sculpture in the park by artist Matthew Davey
- A Horticultural Intern
- PlayBall Indiana’s youth baseball program in the park
- Created a new park map and brochure
Signature Events
- Hosted Friends Night at the MAC in June in partnership with the Philharmonic Orchestra attended by 2,500+ individuals
- Hosted a free Labor Day concert featuring American English Beatles Tribute Band and fireworks with 8,000+ in attendance
Park Enhancements & Improvements
- Continued an annual commitment of over $30,000 in maintenance support for the Sunken Garden Fountains
- Purchased plants to increase the ecological diversity of the Conservatory plant collection
- Purchased new equipment for the MAC and Aquatic Center
- Partnered with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful on a tree planting event to increase the tree canopy in the park
- Received an Indy Chamber Monumental Affairs People’s Choice Award and a Landscape Architecture Award for Blake’s Children’s Garden
Fundraising
- Raised more than $180,000 in contributions and in-kind support for Blake’s Children Garden
- Raised $20,000 at the annual Fore Garfield Golf Outing
- Raised more than $30,000 through our Giving November Fundraising Campaign
Friends of Garfield Park is incredibly grateful for all of our donors and corporate partners who helped make 2019 a success. Your generosity and support enables us to continue to make Garfield Park a unique, vibrant and beautiful destination on the southside of Indianapolis.
The Friends of Garfield Park exists to ensure the preservation & continuation of the public benefits of Garfield Park through enhanced funding, effective advocacy & expanded stewardship.
THANK YOU from the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc. to all of the volunteers and sponsors for Garfield ReForest 2016 and the Great Indy Clean Up! It was a huge success and one of the largest volunteer events in the park’s history. Thanks to over 250 volunteers who planted 200 trees in less than 3 hours – WOW!
We are grateful to our sponsors, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. Indianapolis Rotary, Indianapolis Power & Light Company and the board of FOGP. Shout out to the Garfield Park Neighbors Association, Friends of Garfield Park, Inc. members, and all of the incredible students and volunteers from Emmerich Manual High School, Roncalli High School, University of Indianapolis, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and more!
FOGP has received a grant toward the continuation of the Garfield Alive program for the purpose of connecting community and keeping Garfield Alive. The grant is from “Frank Curtis and Irving Moxley Springer Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, in loving memory of Irving and Frank Springer.” The primary use of this grant is to continue to expand partnerships in accomplishing the FOGP initiatives and increase park attendance and program participation.
A Look Ahead
FOGP is an integral part of the future of Garfield Park. Our organization will continue development efforts through our Garfield Alive program and a new effort, Garfield Naturally. This will be a comprehensive campaign to tie together the nature elements in the park. Please join with us and support the Friends of Garfield Park. Your contribution today will build for tomorrow. For information call: 317-840-8111.
We couldn’t have accomplished this much Garfield Park without the continued support of The Indianapolis Foundation, A CICF affiliate!
