The evening will kick off with a splash of fun at 7 p.m. with “Before the Madness”, an exclusive hour for Friends of City Park members with reserved seating into the night. Then at 8 p.m. the “Madness” will begin. The evening will also feature a jamming DJ, photo booth and an exciting raffle that includes a VIP VooDoo Fest package for two! Let the madness begin! Purchase your tickets early before we sell out and come celebrate a night of madness with Friends of City Park’s most daring supporters! All proceeds from this event will fund the completion of the new Ladybug rollercoaster station in Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. If you would like to volunteer during this event, email [email protected] or call 504-483-9376.
Transcript
The evening will kick off with a splash of fun at 7 p.m. with“Before the Madness”, an exclusive hour for Friends of City Parkmembers with reserved seating into the night. Then at 8 p.m. the“Madness” will begin. The evening will also feature a jamming DJ,photo booth and an exciting raffle that includes a VIP VooDoo Festpackage for two!
Let the madness begin!Purchase your tickets early before we sell out and come celebrate a
night of madness with Friends of City Park’s most daring supporters!All proceeds from this event will fund the completion of the newLadybug rollercoaster station in Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.
If you would like to volunteer during this event, [email protected] or call 504-483-9376.
1 P a l m D r i v eN e w O r l e a n s , L A 7 0 1 2 4
5 0 4 - 4 8 3 - 9 3 7 6
Dear Members,Thank you to all who attended
Friends’ Fest. It was a fabulousnight for our membership and we had record attendance. Theweather was unseasonably coolwhich contributed to the success-ful night in the Carousel Gardens.Tania Hahn, Membership Chair,
Each year India Stewart hand draws and molds the custom Friends of City Park ornament. Pictured aboveis India’s sketch and mold for the 2014 ornament depicting the Ladybug Rollercoaster. India, a southernLouisiana native, also designed the 2012 Peristyle and 2013 Langles Bridge ornaments. Ornaments will go onsale soon at a cost of $15. You can also purchase a set of the 2013 and 2014 ornaments for $25. In additionthe Langles Bridge ornament is available for $10. Get yours today at www.friendsofcitypark.com
2 • Friends of City Park • Fall 2014
raised funds this year to supportthe event which added to theexcitement. Congratulations toticket number 567, Debra Voelker,who won the Subaru Forester. We would also like to extend a special thank you to Bryan Subarufor the donation and to all of youwho purchased a ticket. The proceeds will benefit the carouselrestoration.
A special welcome to ournewest staff member, JenniferMontgomery, Special Events andMarketing Coordinator. Jennifercomes to FOCP with prior eventmanagement experience and has fit right in with Casie, Natalie andMichelle. Feel free to stop by andsay hello to the staff. The office islocated in the administration building with the Park’s offices.
Martini Madness is rightaround the corner on September19. The Chairs, Sudie and RichardJoint, and their committee are hardat work to make this year’s eventthe best ever. The funds will beused to complete and install thenew station of the LadybugRollercoaster. Come out and enjoya martini around Popp Fountain!
Ghosts in the Oaks, a non-scary children’s Halloweenparty, will be on Oct. 24-25. Bringthe children in their favorite costume for a night of fun andtreats in the Amusement Park andStoryland.
The 2014 Christmas ornamentis a beautiful piece, third in theseries, by India Stewart. Ms.Stewart has put together an ornament depicting the oldLadybug rollercoaster which issure to please anyone on your giftlist. Thank you to Dessa Giffin for keeping us in touch with IndiaStewart.
Our New Orleans City Park islooking better than ever! Comeout, use your park perks! Checkout the website or call the FOCPoffice if you have any questionsabout your perks or any of ourupcoming events.
Sincerely,
Mary JohnsonPresident
The mission of Friends of CityPark is to maintain and increasethe value and importance of CityPark as a place of natural beauty,culture, recreation, and educationfor the public. All monies raisedby Friends of City Park (FOCP)will be used for the capital needsof City Park at the discretion ofthe FOCP Executive Board. FOCP is a tax-exempt, non-profitorganization pursuant to section501(c)(3) of the Internal RevenueCode and is a registered charitywith the Louisiana Secretary ofState’s Office.
From an idea to a design
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Mary Johnson, PresidentFriends of City Park
President’sMessage
Presenting the 2014 FOCP Ornament
Step 1: Ornament Sketch Step 2: Ornament Mold
Fall 2014 • Friends of City Park • 3
After a busy summer, Equest is looking forward to the fall and allthe fun things we have in store for our riders. Our lesson programcaters to riders of all ages and abilities. It is a progressive programwhich moves students at their own pace from beginner to advancedlevels of riding. Our program also offers family rides which are a perfect way to spend quality time together on a weekend. Friends ofCity Park Members receive 10% off individual riding lessons.If you are looking for a fun place to have a birthday party or a fieldtrip, please check our website for more information. Thanksgivingand Holiday camps are available as well as our regular ridinglessons. New this fall are morning “Coffee Rides”. Before work orafter you drop the kids off, come and ride for an hour with friends andthen enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the park while sipping acup of coffee. It’s a great way to start your day.
For more information please visit equestfarm.com or call 504-483-9398. Equest is located in the north quadrant of the park at1001 Filmore Ave.
WAKA LA Dodgeball is an organization made up of young professionals in the New Orleansarea. They currently play 3 seasons ayear, 8 weeks a season. Fall, Winter,and Spring. Every season they choosea local charity / organization todonate to, and this past winter seasonLA Dodgeball picked Friends of CityPark as their season charity! “We figured why not give back to City
WAKA LA Dodgeball donates to Friends of City Park
Upcoming Events
Jan Lugenbuhl, a Friends of City Park Member and Volunteer of the Year in 2013 (along with Mrs. Lynne Ross) sent us this pictureof her from February 1962 when she was 18 months old. Feeding the ducks in City Park is one of her earliest memories ofthe park and she still feeds the ducks today.
Share your picture with us! Email your picture to [email protected].
Come Ride With Us At Equest
Member Picture from the Past
New Orleans Botanical Garden
2014 Thursday at Twilight Concert SeriesSeptember – October | Pavilion of the Two Sisters Gates open at 5 p.m.; Music starts at 6 p.m.
This weekly series showcases some of the finest musicians in NewOrleans featuring traditional jazz, rhythm and blues, and an assortmentof music styles. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water and food areavailable for purchase. No outside food and drink or pets allowed. Thisseries is sponsored by the Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation andPeoples Health with support from WWNO 89.9 FM. Admission is $10.For list of shows and tickets visit garden.neworleanscitypark.com or call 504-483-9488.
From the Amazonian Rainforest to New Orleans Voodoo:Plants of Power, Magic, and Medicine featuring Dr. Mark PlotkinSeptember 13 | Pavilion of the Two Sisters 10 a.m. – Registration and Book Signing; 11 a.m. – Lecture
This lecture starts in the most primordial of all tropical wildernesses:the Amazon rainforest. It focuses on the Indians who are the masters ofplant knowledge and healing. It then travels north to central Suriname,where we meet the most African of the Afro-American diaspora. Wethen use this Amerindian - AfroAmerican-European matrix to betterunderstand the New Orleans of old - and to make predictions on howthese Amazonian plants can and will be used in the future. Admission is $25. Visit www.nobgf.org to register and for more information call 504-483-9473.
Fall Garden Festival October 11 and 12 | Botanical Gardens 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The annual Fall Garden Festival in the New Orleans BotanicalGarden invites visitors to explore horticultural exhibits and enjoy educational classes and family-friendly activities. The festival includesplant and garden product sales, the Children’s Discovery Zone, ArtMarket, live music on the Haspel Outdoor Stage, and a Scarecrow Trailfor the kids. Admission is free for members; $8 adults; $4 childrenunder 5. For more information about the Fall Garden Festival, call 504-483-9473 or e-mail [email protected].
Park because they’ve played host toour league since its inception. We’reproud to have raised $1,292.00 forFriends of City Park this past season! We love City Park and hopeto continue our relationship!” - TuanHoang LA Dodgeball CommunityCoordinator. The 2014 Fall seasonbegins on October 1st. You can find more information at www.kickball.com/ladodgeaball.
Bob Becker, CEO
As we move from summerinto fall there are a few thingswe should all keep in mind.
First, August/September isthe peak of hurricane seasonso no one should let theirguard down.
Second, children are backin school and that means moretraffic and a greater necessityto be alert for our kids as theymake their way to school. The Park has ChristianBrothers School within itsboundaries so it is extremelyimportant to obey Park speed
limits and watch out for pedestrians, bikers, and othertypes of traffic.
Third, there are a number of fun events coming up.Martini Madness on September19th, the Louisiana SeafoodFestival on October 11th &12th and the Voodoo MusicExperience over Halloweenweekend.
Finally, on Tuesday,September 16th the Park willteam up with WYES to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles playing in City Park Stadiumwith a concert in the very samestadium! Since everybody Ihave ever talked to has told methey were at the stadium 50years ago, I would expect abrisk market for tickets. Go to the WYES website for information. Should be a blast!
Robert W. Becker Ph.D.Chief Executive OfficerCity Park
Letter from the CEO
4 • Friends of City Park • Fall 2014
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WYES Beatles Tribute Featuring The Fab-Four
Follow Friends of City Park on
With the help of WYES and the Fab Four themselves, we recreated the album cover in front of Tad Gormley Stadiumwhere the Beatles played in 1964. (It was City Park Stadium at the time.) Our cast included (right to left) JohnLennon (aka City Park CEO Bob Becker); Ringo Starr (aka Councilmember Susan Guidry); Paul McCartney (akaCity Park Board President William Hoffman); and George Harrison (aka WYES Board President Marc Leunissen).Get ready to “Twist N Shout” in your favorite ‘60s era attire during the WYES BEATLES TRIBUTE FEATURINGTHE FAB FOUR concert on Tuesday, September 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Tad Gormley Stadium. Tickets are on sale nowat www.wyes.org or 504-457-2934.
Friends of City Park2014 Volunteer of the Year
Richard Meek
On July 23 at Friends’ Fest,Friends of City Park recognizedMr. Richard Meek as Volunteerof the Year for his continuous dedication to Friends. Richardhas been volunteering withFriends for many years and hasbeen instrumental in ensuringthat our events go on without ahitch! We greatly appreciate allof our volunteers who helpedmake not only Friends’ Fest agreat success, but all of ourfundraisers throughout the year.
Fall 2014 • Friends of City Park • 5
Ghosts in the Oaks will be held on Friday,October 24 and Saturday, October 25. This family-friendly Halloween event offers fun for the wholefamily including unlimited rides in the CarouselGardens Amusement Park, trick-or-treating inStoryland, arts and crafts, face-painting, music, andmuch more!
Early admission begins at 6p.m. and generaladmission starts at 7p.m.. Early admission is offeredat $20/person and general admission is $15/person;$12/person for Friends of City Park members.Children under 36 months are admitted free ofcharge. Tickets will be sold for either Friday, October24 or October 25 and will be honored only for thenight purchased.
All proceeds raised from Ghosts in the Oaks willgo to support capital improvements in the CarouselGardens Amusement Park and Storyland. To purchase tickers and for more information, visitwww.friendsofcitypark.com or call 504-483-9376.
Friends of City Park is proud to be partnering upwith another local non-profit, the ‘WEEN DREAM.‘WEEN DREAM accepts gently used and new costumes year round and matches them with familiesin need anywhere in America.
During August-November, ‘WEEN DREAM hasdrop locations throughout the New Orleans area. Ifyou have a costume that you would like to donate youmay drop it off at the Friends of City Park office at #1 Palm Drive, New Orleans LA 70124 or bring itwith you to Ghosts in the Oaks on October 24 and 25.For more information on ‘WEEN DREAM and thetypes and condition of acceptable costumes, visitwww.weendream.org.
Look Out For This Spooktacular Event!
Give a Costume.Grow a Dream.
If you have fond memories of City Park andrealize the importance of maintaining the Park forthe enjoyment of future generations then you canmake a donation of either time or money. There aremany different ways and reasons to donate toFriends of City Park. Monetary donations can bemade in the form of check, money order, creditcard, stocks – whatever is convenient and benefi-cial to you. You may restrict your donation to aspecific project that is important to you or makeyour donation available for general capitalimprovements.
Donating your time is also important to themaintenance of City Park, and there are numerousevents throughout the year for which volunteers areneeded. Friends of City Park is always in need ofvolunteers during our three annual fundraisers,Lark in the Park, Martini Madness, and Ghosts inthe Oaks. One is sure to be of interest to you!Whichever the following you choose, Friends ofCity Park appreciates your donation, on behalf ofthe entire New Orleans metropolitan communitybenefitting from your generosity.
6 • Friends of City Park • Fall 2014
Ways to Donate to Friends
Memberships A membership offers City
Park patrons exclusive perksand aids Friends in its mis-sion. Gift memberships arealso available for purchase.
In Memory/HonorMake a donation to the park in the memory of a loved one.
Wills and BequestsLeave a lasting gift as part of your final plans.
Gifts of SecuritiesMake a donation of stocksand bonds.
VolunteerDonate your time and services to the park.
For more information call 504-483-9376 or visitwww.friendsofcitypark.com and select the‘DONATE’ tab.
Fall 2014 • Friends of City Park • 7
As summer comes to an end,we would like to extend our mostheartfelt thanks to you, our stead-fast members, for attending ourCity Peek Tours, Friends’ Fest,and our special Thank You Toastevening for our Patron andAmbassador Members.
Over the last year, our staff,board, and membership commit-tee have strived to increaseawareness of our membershipprogram, which stands at a strong3,862 members. We hold 100more members than we did at thistime last year, and we are steadilyclimbing towards our 4,000 mem-ber goal for 2014.
Our City Peek Tours were ablast and we hosted over 100members. The three behind thescenes educational tours includeda hiking tour in Couturie Forestand Arboretum, an in depth lookat the New Orleans BotanicalGardens and a historic lesson ofthe antique wooden carousel. All tours were open to currentand new members of Friends,with each tour selling out inrecord time! Keep your eyespeeled for more City Peek Tourscoming in 2015.
A record number of 1,646members attended Friends’ Fest,our annual membership apprecia-tion party. The evening waspacked with free rides, cottoncandy, popcorn, water, snowballs,cookies and pastries. Party Peepleroamed the park creating balloonanimals, along with meet and
greets from CT Parker andBoudreaux, courtesy of theZephyrs. The Fairy Godmotherheld fun activities in the StorylandCastle teaching kids how to dance;Pirate Ink airbrushed fake tattoosin the gazebo and Catalyst EventSolutions provided musical entertainment!
At 8 p.m., Jay Bryan drew thelucky winner of the 2014 SubaruForester donated by Bryan Subaru.The winner was lucky ticket num-ber 567, Ms. Debra Volker!Proceeds raised through the rafflewill be combined with Lark in thePark 2014 proceeds to benefit therestoration of the Historic CityPark Wooden Carousel.
Special thanks to this year’sFriends’ Fest event chairs, TaniaHahn and Peggy McCranie; volunteer coordinator, SuzetteHerpich; City Park staff, BobBecker, Sue Barrocco, PaulMarina, Chad Harper, JulieLaCour, and April Laughlin.
We are very grateful to ourFriends’ Fest sponsors HahnEnterprises, Little Tikes, and NoFault, as well as our donors: PepsiBeverages Company, Haydel’sBakery, City Park, StorylandTheatrical Players, SouthernCandymakers, Pigeon Catering,The Advocate, WYES, CatalystEvent Solutions and Bryan DavisPhotography.
On July 18th, the Friends ofCity Park staff and Board ofDirectors welcomed the Patron andAmbassador level members to
Thank you for being our Friend!
a Thank You Toast at theAdministrative Building for theircontinued dedication and supportof Friends of City Park. Over 50loyal members attended the festivities where they mixed andmingled while enjoying delicious
hors d’oeuvres and delectable drinksdonated by Ralphs’ on the Park andSwirl Wine Bar and Market.
We extend our most heartfeltthanks to all of our members for contributing to the continued success of New Orleans City Park.
Casie Duplechain, Jay Bryan, CT Parker, and Mary Johnson
