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Schedule for Garden Work Parties in 2010
For those of us who eagerly anticipate the building of the Garden, nothing makes it seem more tangible than grooming the garden areas already on site, and caring for the nursery that holds hundreds of specimens waiting to be planted out as the garden develops.
Aaron Skinner, the SCGS gardener, does a dedicated and skillful job of coordinating care of the garden site, but the enthusiasm and hard work of volunteers helps him keep it in top shape.
On the third Sunday in every month except January, July and December, we will hold volunteer work parties on-site from noon to two p.m, or later. Volunteers under Aaron’s direction will rake, weed, transplant and mulch. Please bring gloves, shovels, rakes, and other equipment; the Society can provide equipment as well. Refreshments will be served.
Come out for the year’s first work party on Sunday, February 21 – spring will be in the air and the garden will be ready to wake up!
Please contact Aaron at aaron@seattlechinesegarden.org to sign up or for further information.
Annual Appeal
It has been a year of change for the Seattle Chinese Garden and we want to share our news with you and thank you for your support.
The garden is now slumbering under a blanket of frost, but the Garden office is abuzz this holiday season. Our most recent event, Opening the Garden Gate benefit dinner and auction on November 10, raised $115,000 toward our campaign to complete Knowing the Spring Courtyard. Our immediate goal is to bring 30 Chinese artisans to Seattle in spring 2010 to complete all the traditional elements of the courtyard. During their three-month stay in Seattle, the artisans will demonstrate stone and wood carving and stone paving. A penjing (Chinese bonsai) master will demonstrate the art of pruning and shaping to create miniature trees and tray landscapes. These demonstrations, on-site lectures, and tours will provide opportunities for the public to learn more about Chinese traditional art and culture.
Our financial condition continues to be a challenge, but we are taking the steps necessary to navigate an exceptionally challenging economic climate that has seen the doors close on many nonprofits. This fall we “transplanted” our office from 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle to the Judge Warren and Nobie Chan Education Center, adjacent to the Garden, on the north end of the South Seattle Community College campus. This move not only put us in the middle of our West Seattle Delridge neighborhood, but will enhance our collaboration and joint programming opportunities with South Seattle Community College. As the economy recovers, we are poised to move ahead with new energy and momentum, boosted by the success of the benefit dinner.
We invite you to see our new offices and join us for a free docent-led tour of the Garden on the second Saturday of each month, March through October at 10 am; or call the office (206-764-5219) to arrange a special docent-led program or hardhat tour of the construction site for your group of eight or more. Check our website for updates on construction, events, tours, and other programs.
We are deeply grateful to you for helping us get to this point. As you weigh your year-end giving options, please consider a contribution to help complete Knowing the Spring Courtyard, the first major structure in our vision for a spectacular Seattle Chinese Garden. Our online donation form makes it easy to contribute or donate. Want to stretch your donation dollars even further? Check out our donation matching page to see if your company or employer will match your contribution.
Thank you again for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Geiger
President of the Board
Help Light Up The Courtyard
Recent News
Opening the Garden Gate a Huge Success
太好了!
A high-spirited
crowd filled the Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant on November 10,
raising $115,000 for the next stage of construction for Knowing the
Spring Courtyard. “The great turnout and enthusiastic support from many
old and new friends gives us a big push to forge ahead to complete
Knowing the Spring Courtyard,” remarked Jonathan Geiger, Seattle
Chinese Garden Society president. “We extend special thanks to our honorary co-chairs and hosts Christine and Omar Lee, owners of the Great Wall Mall, for their extraordinary support and commitment to the garden project, and for the countless ways they contributed to the success of the evening.”
More...
During the
“Opening the Garden Gate” benefit dinner, the Garden Society honored
Jerry and Charlene Lee for outstanding contributions to the community.
From left are event honorary co-chairs and Great Wall Mall owners Omar
and Christine Lee, SCGS president Jon Geiger, Charlene Lee, SCGS vice
president Jim Dawson, and Jerry Lee, chairman of Mulvanny G2
Architecture.
Autumn 2009 Newsletter
Docents Finish Busy 2009 Season
Over one hundred visitors from near and far joined our monthly docent tours this year. They watched a slide presentation on the magic of Chinese gardens, learned about Chinese plants in the South Seattle Community College arboretum, toured the construction of KSC, and enjoyed the garden at Song Mei Pavilion. In addition to regularly scheduled tours, docents introduced garden clubs, civic groups, and students from grade school up to college age to the garden project.
Thank you to docent program coordinator Judy Koenig and docents Sandy Marvinney, Leeh McArthur, Anne Potter, Margaret Rothchild, Lorraine Toly, Dewey Webster, and Jan Whitner for continuing to engage and inspire our visitors.
We've Moved!
The SCGS office has moved to the Discovery Center in the Chan Education Center at the South Seattle Community College. Our new address is 6000 16th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98106 and our phone number is 206-764-5219.
Executive Director Departs
Yangming Chu, our executive director for the past year, has been instrumental to the Garden because of his extensive background in garden design and construction. He has played a large role in managing our organization's relations with our contractors and the Municipality of Chongqing, and personally oversaw the first phase of construction of Knowing the Spring Courtyard.
While we are in a construction pause as we await the arrival of the Chinese artisans, Mr. Chu has left the Society to work on other endeavors in the art field. We are certain that he will bring his current ventures the same dedication and expertise that has made him such an incredible asset to our ambitious project.
We hope to welcome Mr. Chu back in 2010 when construction resumes on the final phase of Knowing the Spring Courtyard.
Jon Geiger
President, Board of Directors
Docent Program Hits 10-Year Milestone
 A photo from one of first docent programs shows a group of enthralled grade school children watching a master stone carver from Chongqing putting the final touches on a small sandstone “Happy Buddha” (left). Since the spring 1999 construction of Song Mei Pavilion, the docents have introduced the Chinese Garden project to thousands of Seattle area residents of all ages and visitors from afar. Board member Judy Koenig, Garden Society president at the time, created the docent program with the goal to present construction of Song Mei Pavilion as an engaging educational experience for the community.
Build the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden ’s Chi — and Yours Too
A new activity for volunteers offers a perfect way to close the weekend and enhance your chi for the week to come. Aaron Skinner, our new head gardener, is offering 太极拳 (tai chi) Sundays at the
Chinese
Garden. Come help build the chi flow in the garden by tending to its physical needs such as weeding, watering, mulching, planting, and more strenuous projects. When the garden is happy and at peace, volunteers are invited to join Aaron in practicing yang style tai chi and various chi gung styles.
Health is the goal, for plants and people. Both gardening and tai chi have numerous health benefits and healing potential. This weekly gathering is for volunteers who would like to pursue a more personal relationship with the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden and enjoy a traditional aspect of Chinese culture.
Aaron Skinner has been working with plants and chi since boyhood. He has been studying tai chi and gung fu formally for five years. Aaron works for a large
Seattle landscape company, operates his own penjing-focused business, and maintains the
Chinese
Garden.
Dr. Peter Ku Retires
Dr. Peter Ku has decided to retire from the Seattle Chinese Garden Board. He has been an active and productive member of the team for many years. Please join the Society Board and Staff members in thanking Dr. Ku for his long and distinguished service. We wish him well in his future endeavors!
Visit From The
West Seattle Blog
The
West Seattle Blog visited the garden recently. Click here to read their article and see new pictures of the site.
Seattle author Wendy Liu Donates Share of Book Sales to the Chinese Garden
Seattle author Wendy Liu is making copies of her new book available to Garden Society members and friends, with 50% of the proceeds contributed to the garden. We offer you her new book "Everything I Understand about America I Learned in Chinese Proverbs," which contains 39 essays, developed around 39 Chinese proverbs/sayings and based on 39 of her experiences and observations in America. Order your copy here and help the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden grow, too!
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