(Photo courtesy of Community Foundation of Elkhart County)
Monday's scheduled speaker was unable to attend due to illness. We found a last-minute substitute, Eric Garton, Robert and Peggy Weed Execuive Director at Wellfield Botanic Gardens, to give an update on the new Events and Visitors Center Expansion Project.
Thanksgiving is always a special time for any not for profit organization; it’s hard to imagine any organization created for the public good with a mission like Wellfield’s not to feel an especially intense feeling of gratitude when we’re reminded each and every day how important our community has been in Wellfield’s growth and development over the years. This year’s gratitude is especially apparent given the progress of our new Events and Visitors Center Expansion Project over the last 18 months. From the beginnings of a capital campaign in 2021 inspired by fellow Rotarian Marly Rydson in honor and memory of his wife Laura through the planning and design stages led masterfully by Arkos Design, to the construction initiated by DJ Construction in July 2023 and the countless contractors and tasks that been accomplished since… our jaws continue to drop when we view the incredible beauty and quality of this project toward our goals and mission.
On Tuesday, November 19, it was a sincere pleasure for Wellfield staff to welcome the Community Foundation of Elkhart County’s guests composed of The Legacy Society, those families and individuals who’ve generously included the Foundation in their estate planning. When scheduling this event months ago - - and the status of the project’s progress/substantial completion unknown - - we were counting on the professionals at DJ Construction to get us where we needed to be in order to pass the much anticipated inspections necessary for occupancy. With no time to spare, the necessary pieces and safety features were put into place, tested, and approved! As our first official event, there was ample anxiety tempered with the excitement of engaging our spaces and sharing our new facility with a very important audience. The event flowed largely as planned - - short of an unknown construction light timer that put the entire space into temporary darkness for a few seconds at 7 o’clock! The reviews were in: our new Visitors Center and the Woodland Pavilion are a HIT and once the active construction pieces are done and the punch lists complete, we’ll be ready to greet the public.
Here is our plan to showcase the space for the upcoming days, weeks, and months. Beginning with Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights presented by Welch Packaging on Friday, November 29, we will welcome guests through our new Visitors Center! All event guests will get a sneak peek of the Rotunda and admissions area as they flow through the new building and after experiencing Holiday Lights, guests will exit through an outside gate. We’ll continue this through December, welcoming Holiday Lights ticketed guests through the building, while retaining the Cottage for standard daily admissions and retail during December. During our Winter months of January through March, we’re open to the public on weekends only, noon to 5. We’ll use this time as a soft-opening for the Visitors Center while finalizing plans for our Grand Opening and Dedication, scheduled for Saturday, April 5, the first Saturday in our Spring-Summer Season when we return to 7-day a week operations.
To everyone who’s supported Wellfield and our Events and Visitors Center Expansion Project these past several years… THANK YOU. To all those who’ve patiently waited through construction, inconvenience, and the many unknowns… THANK YOU. We can’t wait to see you in person in our new Visitors Center in the weeks, months, and years ahead! Happy Thanksgiving to all.
REMINDER: Dave Lehman's annual announcement to collect money ($20 recommended, which purchases a turkey) for the Elkhart Salvation Army and fellow Rotarian Major Tim Nauta who will be providing free meals on Thanksgiving to those in need. Dave will gladly share your donation even if you bring it in after Thanksgiving.