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Today’s edition of FONA Field Notes is a special one with big news, so I felt it important that you hear directly from me. I also have a special request to make of everyone.
In the nearly 6 years I’ve been with FONA, our team has talked a lot about accessibility and the importance of everyone being able to enjoy the National Arboretum’s incredible green space. Last year, those conversations resulted in FONA launching an evening hours pilot program, where the Arboretum stayed open until 8:00 PM on a few select nights. The success of this pilot only made us want to offer more! After conversations with Dr. Richard Olsen (Director of the National Arboretum), the Agricultural Research Service, and the Arboretum’s security provider, we are pleased to announce that we recently received final approval for FONA to keep the Arboretum open until 8:00 PM from June 1st to August 30th!*
FONA is committed to covering 100% of the cost associated with these evening hours. We know how important this is for our community — for working families, professionals, and others who may not be able to come to the Arboretum during the day. This is part of our mission to ensure the Arboretum’s gardens and collections are accessible to the public, particularly the local community, and to connect people with nature. This is where I have a special request for you.
We need your help to support this summer’s evening hours. We want to make them a permanent feature of the Arboretum for years to come. I am asking you — and everyone in the Arboretum community — to step up and support this goal. Here’s what you can do:
Keep reading the newsletter for important evening hours details, like blackout dates, entrance/exit flow, etc. We humbly ask for your patience and grace as we work through making these significant changes at a federal facility, and we welcome your feedback along the way. Please check our website and social media for updates throughout the summer.
All of us at FONA are grateful for the trust of Dr. Olsen, FONA’s Board, and the entire Arboretum team to make this happen. This is a significant change in how the U.S. National Arboretum operates. It is the result of the incredible public-private partnership we have developed over the years to support the Arboretum and serve the D.C. community. By taking on an enhanced role with events, programs, communications, fundraising, and more, FONA allows the Arboretum to focus on what it does best: horticultural research and plant conservation.
I hope this news makes you as happy as it does us to share it! Thank you for all you do to support the Arboretum and FONA. We are proud to lead the charge to ensure that thousands more people can enjoy evenings at the Arboretum for years to come. Please help us make this change a permanent reality and join or sponsor today!
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