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Fund For Park Avenue
30th Anniversary |
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From 54th to 86th streets, down the middle of the legendary East Side Boulevard, 60,000 white tulips are blooming, in honor of the Fund for Park Avenue’s 30th Anniversary. White because pearls are the symbol for a 30th Anniversary.
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On Monday, April 19, 2010, the Fund For Park Avenue celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a champagne reception at Scully & Scully, Park Avenue’s famous home specialty store.
Since it was created in 1980 by the late Mary Lasker, a major force in urban beautification, The Fund has planted, lit and maintained the Park Avenue malls. While Mrs. Lasker endowed the Fund for the annual plantings, she also believed the public should contribute to beautifying their City.
On hand to mark the milestone, Adrian Benepe, New York City Parks and Recreation Commissioner, said, “On behalf of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a grateful City I am here with a Proclamation naming this day ‘Fund for Park Avenue Day.’” The Proclamation reads in part, “Today’s Park Avenue Malls are a wonderful example of what we can accomplish with bold thinking and commitment to the future.”
Ron Wendt's table.
As part of the celebration, there were four spring table settings “set” by members of the Host Committee and designers from Scully & Scully. Each featured a centerpiece inspired by the Park Avenue malls: Eleni’s New York provided tulip-topped cupcakes for the center of a children’s party table hosted by Evie Brown and Blair Clarke. Will Ryman, whose sculptures will be featured on the malls in January 2011, lent models of his work to decorate the table for a gathering of members of The Fund for Park Avenue’s Sculpture Advisory Committee. Eugenie Niven Goodman’s dinner for famous horticulturalists featured a classic interpretation of a Park Avenue mall done by Ron Wendt Design in boxwood and tulips. Event designer Nancy Swiezy hosted a table, which she envisioned: a Buddha visiting a Park Avenue mall.
Nancy Swiezy Table. |
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Will Ryman Table. |
Creating more green spaces is a critical component of PLANYC, the Bloomberg’s administration’s vision for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly New York. Reading from the Proclamation, Commissioner Benepe stated that since its inception, “The Fund for Park Avenue has planted nearly 3,000,000 tulip bulbs, more than 600 trees and approximately 900,000 begonias.” He went on to say that “flowers have a civilizing effect on people. I have never seen a fist fight in front of a flowerbed. The Fund for Park Avenue set the standard of private-public partnership and for the Central Park Conservancy. We (the City) stay out of the way. It’s the Fund that’s responsible for all this beauty.”
“What makes us unique” said Barbara McLaughlin, the Fund’s President, “is that we are totally dependant on donations from individuals, the buildings on Park Avenue, corporations and foundations. Scully & Scully has graciously donated 10% of all sales from tonight and Tuesday and Wednesday to the Fund.” They did the same last year, too.
Alex Donner provided background music and each guest left with an Eleni of New York cookie in the form of-- What else? --a white tulip.
In the winter, the Fund plants and lights the Memorial Christmas trees. In 1945 Susan Vanderpoel Clark started the tradition as a way to honor the men and women who fought for our country in World War II. Not as well known is the Fund’s Sculpture Committee, which oversees the art that decorates the medians in conjunction with the New York City Public Arts Program and in collaboration with arts organizations and artists. Past exhibitions have included sculptures by Deborah Butterfield, Donna Dennis, Robert Indiana, Jun Kaneko, Claude & François-Xavier Lalanne, Sui Jianguo, Beverly Pepper, George Rickey and James Surls. Currently on display is the work of Mia Westerlund Roosen. From January – May 2011, Will Ryman’s large rose sculptures will “bloom” on the malls.
Among those who filled the store were: Manhattan Borough Commissioner William Castro, City Council members Jessica Lappin and Dan Garodnick and FFPA Directors and Committee members Ronald D. Spencer, Nicole and Derek Limbocker, Margaret Ternes, Muffie Potter Aston, Sheri Babbio, Friederike Biggs, Evie Brown, Maureen Chilton, Blair Clarke, Mary Davidson, Amy Mazzola Flynn, Martha Glass, Eugenie Niven Goodman, Helena Martinez and Burwell Schorr.
Also Alexandra Lebenthal, Jeremy Biggs, Wendy Carduner, Geoffrey Bradfield, Zelda Kaplan, Kevin McLaughlin, Audrey Gruss, Stuart and Vanessa McLean, Michael and Eleanora Kennedy, Melissa and Chappy Morris, Catherine and Bryan Carey, Leslie and Peter Jones, Maggie Norris, Dr. Robert Grant, Kate Edmunds, Dr. Kevin Plancer, Roberta Sandman, Konrad Kessee, Jean Shafiroff, Michel Witmer, Christine Schott, James Ternes, Blaine Caravaggi, Roman Martinez, Karen Klopp, Larry Babbio, Nina Griscom, Kyle Blackmon, Jennifer Bradford Davis, John Glass, Michèle Gerber Klein, Douglas Hannant, Sharon Bush, Dr. John Espy, Keri Ingvarsson, Jake Bright, Mia Morgan, Roric Tobin, Jeani Ziering, Jay Snyder, Iris Rossi, Jay Jolly, Alastair Clarke, Filippa Tarras-Wahlberg, R. Couri Hay and Scully & Scully’s generous staff including Marie Norton, Jonathan Tait, Kathleen Lamborn, and Eleanora Gibson.
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Host Michael Scully, President of Scully & Scully with Barbara McLaughlin, President of Fund For Park Avenue.
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Michael Scully, Ronald Spencer, Fund for Park Avenue Chairman and Adrian Benepe, NYC Parks and Recreation Commissioner.
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Friederike Biggs, Catherine Carey, Leslie Jones.
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Christine Schott and Audrey Gruss.
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Jean Shafiroff and Amy Mazzola Flynn.
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Barbara McLaughlin and William Castro, Manhattan Borough Commissioner.
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Geoffrey Bradfield, Muffie Potter Aston, Roric Tobin, Sharon Hoge.
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Sheri Babbio and Larry Babbio.
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Jay Snyder and Kevin McLaughlin.
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Martha Glass and John Glass.
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Stuart McLean, Vanessa McLean, Derek Limbocker.
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Dan Garodnick, Mark Schinerman, Jessica Lappin.
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Blair Clarke and Evie Brown.
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Eugenie Niven Goodman.
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Wendy Carduner and Roger Webster.
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Michael Kennedy and Eleanora Kennedy.
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Jill Brooke, Suzanne Murphy, Alexandra Lebenthal, Muffie Potter Aston.
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Stuart McLean, Burwell Schorr, Vanessa McLean.
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Blaine Caravaggi and Jennifer Bradford Davis.
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Frederick Anderson and Douglas Hannant.
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Alice Weil Judelson and Linda Mansfield.
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Bryan Carey, Eliza Nordeman, Catherine Carey.
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Dr. John Espy and Helen Martinez.
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Maureen Miskovic, Jonathan Tait, Dr. Madelyn Antoncic.
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Kathleen Lamborn, Melissa Morris and Chappy Morris.
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William Castro and Marge Ternes.
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Sharon Bush and Jay Snyder.
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Mikel Witte, Polly Sheehan and Peter Jones.
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Michel Witmer, Kathleen Giordano, Carmine Cassino.
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Keri Ingvarsson, Zelda Kaplan, Mia Morgan.
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Michael Safir and Anna Safir.
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Sharon Hoge and Michele Gerber Klein.
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Leah Talatinian and Graham Hovis.
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| Photos:
Laurie Lambrecht |
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