Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum Honors Volunteers

Alice Moskowitz

A group of 60 dedicated volunteers filled the Knippenberg Center for Education for the annual Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. This year’s event honored the 17 people who have volunteered at Laurelwood for 10 years, from the time Friends of Laurelwood was founded. Also honored were 32 volunteers who contributed 100 or more hours.

Members of the Volunteer Committee posed behind the table of sandwiches donated by Preakness deli and desserts donated by FOLA members. From left are, Bonnie Joachim, Gerry Lowry, Executive Director Elaine Fogerty, Volunteer Coordinator Linda Ransom, Carol Huber, Sunny Brennan, and President Alice Moskowitz.

“These dedicated people have planted and weeded in the gardens, trudged through snow and ice to work in the greenhouse, attended countless meetings, planned programs, and events, and helped raise money to support our work,” said Alice Moskowitz, President of Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum. “2016 was a terrific year in terms of volunteering,” she noted.“When the numbers were in, we counted a total of 11,831 volunteer hours. The dollar value of those hours is $315,887 — quite a contribution to the Wayne community.”

Guest speaker at the luncheon was Suzanne Brouillon, Communications Director of the Montclair Presby Iris Garden. She talked about the long history of this unique garden and showed pictures of many varieties of irises.

The 10-year volunteers are: Nancy Alexander, Sunny Brennan, Ken Burke, Helene Christie, Patricia Engrissei, Alex Fadynich, Nancy Fadynich, Ruth Hayden, Dawn Healey, Barbara Hegranes, Bonnie Joachim, Margaret Kerstner, Kasey Lai, Jim McHugh, Sara McHugh, Alice Moskowitz and Joan Scott-Miller.

The 100-hour volunteers are: Nancy Alexander, John Crowell, Joe DiGiacomo, Patricia Engrissei, Elaine Fogerty, Heather Hayden, Ruth Hayden, Dawn Healey, Barbara Hegranes, John Hegranes, Carol Huber, Bonnie Joachim, Margaret Kerstner, Jennifer Klecha, David Kooistra, Gerry Lowry, Bill Mains, Jim McHugh, Sara McHugh, Alice Moskowitz, North American Rock Garden Society Watnong Chapter Members, Linda Ransom, Leslie Reiser, Stuart Reiser, Lillian Sayeg, Diane Stern, and Rick Wild.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum volunteers include students, scouts, corporate groups, Passaic County Master Gardeners and private citizens of all ages. For further information about volunteering and to be directed to the area that best fits your interests and talents, please send an email to info@laurelwoodarboretum.org or call 973-831-5675.