Seed

Seed. . to plant an area by sowing seeds; to encourage new ventures, header: , Historic Bur Oak, The Land , In 1997, the Perry family agreed to sell 55.07 acres of land to the City of Sioux Falls and made an additional approximately $750,000 donation of land to Minnehaha County for the creation of Arrowhead Park and the Perry Nature Area. Before those plans could be realized, however, Minnehaha County spent extensive time and money to clean up the site. In the years following the collapse of East Sioux Falls, the site became overgrown and the dumping grounds for unwanted trash and debris. Over time, the County cleared the site of unwanted items and vegetation, and added ammenities such as a park shop, picnic shelters, signage and walking trails. Arrowhead Park and the Perry Nature Area were created, and the surrounding area was ripe for further development., Vision , Mary Jo Wegner was a visionary for the locals of Sioux Falls. She possessed a passion for the natural environment that she sought to promote, enhance, and share with others. During her fight against leukemia, she found relief in spending afternoons in the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Prior to her death, Mary Jo was an avid supporter and member of the Sioux Falls Beautiful group. From her battle with cancer and her love of nature, she envisioned that Sioux Falls and its residents would someday benefit from the establishment of its own arboretum., In 2003, Mary Jo lost her battle against leukemia. After her passing, Dr. Karl Wegner, husband of Mary Jo, and her family established an arboretum fund to commemorate her life, love of nature, and to fulfill her visionary dream., A steering committee, the Wegner Arboretum Society, was selected in 2006 to guide the direction and development of the park. The Society's goals are to create a place where people can gather for an educational and recreational adventure, to protect the history and culture of East Sioux Falls, to enhance the diverse plant palette already on-site, and to conserve open space. While trying to preserve these amenities, the Society collaborated with others to further develop the park. Members of the Society have worked in a close partnership with the City of Sioux Falls' Parks and Recreation Department, Minnehaha County, Sioux Falls Beautiful, and the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (SFACF) along with landscape architects., Sioux Falls Beautiful (SFB) is a community program that began in 1997 by Dr. Tom Kilian. The organization was established by local activists who were interested in improving the neighborhoods and environments we inhabit on a day to day basis. SFB's mission is to promote green landscaping in urban areas, to develop landscaped urban places, and to retrofit undesirable existing public spaces. The group also seeks to educate others of their mission, to protect the natural environment that existed before our inhabitance, and to find the appropriate balance between urban and natural. Two of their largest projects include Arrowhead Park and the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum and East Sioux Falls Historic Site., The SFACF is an organization that helps improve the quality of life for residents and visitors of the Sioux Falls area. They promote charitable donations, assist local nonprofit organizations, write grants, and look for opportunities and suitable ventures for endowments they receive. Their motto is for good, for ever. The SFACF can assist a one-time event, such as fundraising to build a project or it can be a life-time commitment, such as an endowment fund. The SFACF works to add value to the community and its surrounding areas by assisting local schools, churches, and charitable groups and organizations., Events , The park shelter at the Arboretum is the perfect backdrop for all your events, from weddings to picnicking. The shelter can be reserved for formal events or can be used as the gathering site with friends and family for no reason at all. If you would like to reserve the shelter for your special occasion to ensure its availability, visit our website at http://register.siouxfallsparks.org to register online or call the Park Office at 605.367.8222 during normal business hours. When the shelter is not reserved for an event, feel free to use the shelter for any or all your occasions., Reservations for more than 120 days in advance are not allowed and are taken on a first come, first serve basis. All users must comply with Parks and Recreation rules and regulations. A copy of the rules and regulations can be found at http://www.siouxfallsparks.org/shelter_reservations/park_use_info or call the Park Office at 367-8222., Support , The programming, planning, and development of the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum and East Sioux Falls Historic Site are made possible through a public-private partnership. The project is funded 50% by fundraising efforts by the Wegner Arboretum Society (private endowments) and 50% by the City of Sioux Falls Parks budget, which comes from sales tax revenue. Generous donations help support the Arboretum Society and help make Mary Jo's dream come true. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum Society or would like to donate, please visit our website at www.maryjowegnerarboretum.com, or 605-367-4414, Arbor Day , Each year, people from around the world gather and plant a tree for Arbor Day. The holiday began as recognition of the importance of trees in our environment. The Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum and East Sioux Falls Historic Site gathers on the last Friday in April (Arbor Day) to plant a tree in honor of Arbor Day. Interested in planting your own tree? For more information contact the ARBORETUM AT 605-367-4414., "He plants trees to benefit another generation." , Caecilius Statius, photo: , Arbor Day Event , Photo Courtesy of City of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department, Definition of an Arboretum , "A place where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes.' , Merriam-Webster, Board Members , Charles D. Gullickson - President , Keith Perkins - Vice President , Jerry W. Bork - Treasurer . Deana A. Barth - Secretary , Rick Foster . Jeff Hazard . Al Hodgson . Judy Jasper . Ann Louise Kuehn , Jerry Nachtigal . Trudy Peckham . Thea Miller Ryan . Kathrine Schnabel , Jeff Scherschligt . Ward Whitwam , Scott Anderson- Minnehaha County , Don Kearney- City of Sioux Falls, Mission Statement , "To nurture connections between plants and people, past and present, in an inspiring natural setting that invites discovery.", Donors , Alan and Brenda Hodgson . Alan and Terri Bowden . Allen and Lovey Bliss . Arlo Sommervold Austad's Golf . Avera Heart Hospital of SD . Avera McKennan . Backyard Broadcasting . Bell Inc . Bill and Cheryl Taylor , Bob and Linda McDowell . Bob O'Connell and Kris Kreiter O'Connell . Boyce, Greenfield, Pashby and Welk . Brandt, Solomon and Anderson , Vernon and Tami Brown . Carol Twedt . Charles and Lizbeth Gullickson . Citibank . CNA Surety . CorTrust . Curt and Ann Louise Kuehn . Cutler and Donahoe , Dacotah Bank . Dale and Diane Jans . Dan and Sharon Rykhus . Dataware / Omnitech . Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz and Smith . Dennis and Ellen Thum. Don Kearney , Don and Ann Platt . Dorothy Johnson . Doug and Sandra Pay . Dr. David and Linda Shields . Dr. Sam and Norma Assam . Egger Steel . Evers, Norm and Dianna . First Dakota National Bank . First Dakota Title . First National Bank in SF . First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard . Frederick and Ann Entwistle . Gage Brothers Concrete Products , Garry and Associates . George Boom Funeral Home . Greg Boris and Joan Reddy . Home Federal . Howalt-McDowell . J.W. Abbott . James Michael Doyle . James Wooster , Jay and Michelle Powell . Jeff and Kati Scherschligt . Jeff and Shelia Hazard . Jerry Larson . Jerry and Ann Nachtigal . Jim and Maureen Robl . John and Sherry Archer . John and Trudy Peckham . Judy Jasper . Karl Wegner Family . Kathleen Entwistle . Keith Perkins . Kirby Financial . Kirby Investment Corp . Kirk and Lori Kiesow . Koch Hazard LCM . L.G. Everist . Lauer Capital Mgmt . Lewis Drugs, Inc Lloyd Companies . Lloyd and Dorothy Stivers . Marjorie Schoon . Mary and Dave Tidwell . Mary Jo Wegner SF Arboretum Fund . May and Johnson PC . MidAmerican Energy Co . MidContinent Communications . Mike Crane and Candy Hanson . Mike and Bunny Howes , Milt and Ruby Mutch . Minnehaha Master Gardeners . Murphy, Goldammer and Prendergast . Nyberg's Ace . Paul and Coni Schiller . Paul and Mary Ellen Connelly , Phil and Martha Helland . RAS . Raven Industries . Rich and Sharon Cutler . Richard Foster . Rose and Tom Costello . Sam Trebilcock and Beth Lewis . Ryan Taylor , Sands Drywall . Sandy Jerstad . Sanford Clinic - Family Medicine . Sanford Health . Saranne Ensberg . Scheels All Sports . Schoeneman Lumber , Scott Anderson . Juli Anderson . SDN Communications . Sea Chiropractic . Showplace Wood Products . Sioux Falls Construction , Sioux Falls Federal Credit Union . Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society . Sisson Printing . Steve and Alli Garry . Steve and Kathy Sanford , Steve and Michelle Erpenbach . Sturdevant's Auto Supply . Sun Enterprises . The Everist Co . Thomas Galbreath , Tim and Thea Miller Ryan . Timothy J. Dougherty . Truman and Nancy Phelan . TSP . Ward and Elissa Whitwam , Wells Fargo . Wells Fargo SD Environmental Green Team . Wells Fargo Foundation , Woods, Fuller Schultz and Smith . Xcel Energy, Map: , Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum Preliminary Master Plan , Graphic Courtesy of Confluence, "There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it." , Minnie Aumonier, Information on This Sign is Courtesy of the Following Sources: , http://www.maryjowegnerarboretum.com , http://www.siouxfalls.org , http://www.sfacf.org , http://siouxfallsbeautiful.com