Click Here for frequently asked questions. Dear CoHorts and Friends, As you may have heard, Reiman Gardens must make changes in services to balance its budget. I am writing to share more information about the reductions, plus invite your comments and suggestions.
I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed we are that we have to make cuts of $200,000 that includes two key staff members (education and communications), having the butterfly wing open only in Spring-Summer-Fall (not winter), closing on winter weekends, and losing all our winter hourly staff. We’ve been wrestling with these decisions while our expenses have increased and our income has dropped. As you will see in the slides, this is the cut that would impact the fewest people.
I’ve attached a few slides from a presentation we gave explaining that with such limited resources, we have to concentrate our activities when people are here - which is clearly not the winter months. I always thought guests would come in the winter, as the warmth and beauty are amazing.
We are giving this presentation again on Tuesday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, October 10th at 9:30 a.m. in Hughes Auditorium about these changes. The bottom line is that ISU provides $660,000 of our $1.6 million dollar budget. It has been a challenge raising almost one million dollars each year with limited staffing, especially with our marketing budget being cut by three-quarters. Our efforts in gaining corporate gifts, grant writing and offering admissions and membership promotions puts a small dent in what’s needed.
We need your support this year. Our presentation reviews our plans and how we hope these cuts are short-term. The good news is that Reiman Gardens’ staff is planning for the future and continues to win awards and recognition for the butterfly wing, rose gardens and design process.
In the meantime, as was suggested at our discussion on Wednesday, we encourage you to talk to people, administrators, community and civic groups and people who can help us and are interested in the Gardens. Let them know we need their attendance, their volunteer hours and their financial contributions.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Teresa McLaughlin
Director, Reiman Gardens
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