The Perennial Playspace offers fun education and lasting memories for the whole family

Grateful for our Donors

The Ron and Lydia Harrington Perennial Playspace educates children and their families about the natural world while creating lasting memories.

By Deborah Miller

New exhibits require not only a lot of planning to execute, but also the financial support of community members who invest in a new idea. The Ron and Lydia Harrington Perennial

Playspace is an example of several donors coming together to help

Holden Forests & Gardens fulfill its vision of a year-round space for children to enjoy, especially when the Hershey Children’s Garden is closed during the winter.

For many years, the second floor at the Cleveland Botanical Garden served as a space for local artist displays (Guren Gallery) as well as a children’s play area. There was a strong rotation of art exhibits, but the children’s play area needed a new investment. The HF&G team had a vision to expand the space and create an intergenerational activity area focused on educating young children and their families about plants and the natural world, while maintaining the Guren Gallery.

Developing this interactive experience involved not only the creative energy of the teams at Dublin, Ohio, based Roto and HF&G, but the involvement of donors who supported the concept and design. In addition, a task force of board and community members acted as a sounding board throughout the development process. HF&G is extremely grateful to our donors and task force members who have made this project possible.

“We especially thank Ron and Lydia Harrington for providing the lead gift for this learning and enrichment space,” Jill Koski, President & CEO says. “We’re grateful for their support of our vision for a space that engages children of all ages in becoming stewards of the natural world.”

Other significant donors to the project include Earl R. and Barbara Corwin Franklin. Marian’s Sensory Playspace is named in memory of Barbara’s mother, Marian Corwin Macy, who was a member and president of several garden clubs in New York and Miami and a regular visitor to the Cleveland Botanical Garden. “I wanted to find a way to honor my mother and her love of gardening,” Barbara says. “The Perennial Playspace provided a way to honor her memory. I look forward to visiting with our friends and family. I am especially eager to bring our grandchildren, Sean Corwin Glaser and Marcus Gabriel Glaser, to the new Perennial Playspace when they are in town, so that I may share with them their great-grandmother Marian’s love of gardening and my own long-time connection to CBG.”

For board member Kate Faust, supporting this project was personal. “The Cleveland Botanical Garden was a magical place for our daughter Caroline. Making a donation to support the sketching frames fit perfectly with the mission of Caroline’s memorial fund. Not only is it a playspace to enjoy year round, but it gives kids a treetop view of the rainforest, and the frames will be used in nature-based educational programs throughout the year.”

Special thanks to all donors who have supported this project: Ron and Lydia Harrington, Earl R. and Barbara Corwin Franklin, The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, Jane and Michael Horvitz, Kent H. Smith Charitable Trust, The Reinberger Foundation, The Hershey Foundation, Caroline Kramer Faust Foundation, The Abington Foundation, Hanes Family Foundation, The O’Neill Brothers Foundation, Brent Ryan and Erin Kennedy Ryan, The Coleman Family, and Brett and Maggie Schumacher. Without our donors, this space would not be available for the children in our community to help foster their love of plants and the natural world.

MEET THE STAFF

Deborah Miller joined Holden Forests & Gardens in October 2018 as Vice President of Development. She has worked in the fundraising profession for over 25 years, most recently at Baldwin Wallace University as a senior philanthropy advisor. As Director of Development for Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Deborah oversaw a successful comprehensive campaign for a new building for the Center located in University Circle. She achieved her Certified Fundraising Executive certification in 1998, holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and BBA from the University of Toledo.