HAPPENINGS IN THE PARK
November, 2008

The Green Gala Honors Mayor Bill White and Raises Green for MPC

         MPC Chair Stephen Costello and Mayor Bill White share a laugh

Memorial Park Conservancy and hundreds of supporters honored Mayor Bill White for being Houston's "greenest" mayor at its annual Green Gala on October 15th at the River Oaks Country Club. Co-chairs Sharon Talbert and Charlotte Orr celebrated Memorial Park in style. Mayor White recounted his afternoon with Neil Diamond who offered his personal support of the Gulf Coast through his concerts. Always politically proper, the Mayor laughingly declined a gift of a gorgeous blue Trek tandem bike from Bike Barn, suggesting that MPC auction it for funds for Memorial Park. It's one of the last few tandems made. (Please contact Sally Tyler if you are interested. Bidding starts at $2,500.)

Sharon Talbert and Charlotte Orr, Green Gala Chairs

Bill Hussey, Mavis and Wendy Kelsy congratulate Mayor White
PBS' Anchor Ernie Manouse and Memorial Park Supporter Carolyn Farb

Former City Council Member Eleanor Tinsey and Andrea White

Ezra Charles and the Works livened up the evening with their rock n'roll music. We send our thanks to PBS anchor Master of Ceremonies Ernie Manouse and Father Phil Lloyd of St. Theresa's Church for lending their star power and charm to brighten the stage. Nearly $240,000 was raised for the ongoing efforts of the Conservancy. Your contributions help carry out the mission of Memorial Park Conservancy to protect and preserve Memorial Park for generations to come. Good fun and a fine celebration was had by all after a long month of Hurricane Ike repair and Bailout Blues.

Memorial Park's Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge - Plans Well Underway

Memorial Park Conservancy's Capital Campaign - Phase I - continues to build momentum in support of Memorial Park. Over $5.9 million has been raised to date toward the Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge over Memorial Drive, The bridge, designed by Clark Condon Associates, will connect the north and south sides of the park and improve safety for runners and cyclists. Designs by Lauren Griffith for theTennis Center Plaza Renovation are now underway. Running/Trails Center planning is begun and an architect is under consideration. Beyond these features, an additional running trail opposite the Seymour-Lieberman Exer-Trail on the north side of the park and numerous other practical needs are outlined in the city-approved Master Plan. Your gift of $50 or more will be rewarded with an MPC t-shirt and our sincere thanks. Join our growing ranks of Memorial Park Conservancy supporters!

Third Green Work Party Followed by Student Brigades

On October 4th, with the generous support of 002 Magazine, Whole Foods Market and Vitaminwater nearly 100 volunteers helped clear debris from Picnic Loop Lane. This gathering of community support , albeit a little more festive, was affectionately called a Green Work Party. Greater Houston Offroad Biking Association volunteers thankfully cleared mountainbiking trails as well. Our sincere thanks to all of you who have been a part of the clean-up of your park.

October 21, 22 and 27, 28, students from Eastwood, Austin, Lee, Chavez, Reagan, and Stevenson Middle School converged on Memorial Park's Picnic Loop Lane to continue their investigation and removal of invasive species. This program, funded by the Texas Education Agency and The Powell Foundation, is a joint project of Endangered Species Media Project, MPC, and includes volunteer help from Texas Master Naturalists. We would like to thank Dr. Linda Knight, Frank Salzhandler, Jim Porter, Native Plant Society President Linda Knowles and BPA's Erik Ruckstahl for their significant expertise, success for the students, HPARD and most importantly, Memorial Park. The students cleared invasives out of remaining areas designated by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. Invasive species wereidentifiedby Texas Master Naturalist volunteers and Bayou Preservation Volunteers. Students were able to replant native plant species in the areas they cleared during the Spring 2008 session, enabling them to more fully understand the importance of invasive species removal. With HPARD advice, plants were placed in areas where they will flourish.

MPC Four the Park Fun Run - Saturday, April 4, 2009

002 Magazine's Carla Valencia will chair Memorial Park Conservancy's first "Four the Park" 4K Fun Run scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2009. We are proud to announce title sponsorship opportunities at $25,000, Oak-$10,000, Pine-$5,000, Cypress-$1,500, Seedling-$500. All those interested in participating and/or accumulating pledges on behalf of Memorial Park Conservancy may do so via our website. We are looking for sponsors, in-kind donors, and participants. Cost of participation; $25 adults, $10 kids; raise $100 - free entrance. Contact Cathy Heindl, Director of Development, for more information.

Alkek and Williams Foundation Funds Tennis Plaza Renovation

Thanks to the generosity of the Alkek and Williams Foundation, Memorial Park's tennis plaza will see a facelift in the near future. Landscape architect Lauren Griffith has begun designing a basque (grove) of trees and courtyard to replace the tired overused entranceway to the Tennis Center. Tennis players, runners and walkers will mix and mingle enjoying a pleasant seating area under the tree canopy with views of native plantings and passersby. Expect changes in the coming months!

Save the Date for MPC's Upcoming Events

April 4, 2009 - MPC Four the Park Fun Run
May 22, 2009 - MPC 4th Annual Golf Tournament

Thank you!
We would like to thank our generous donors for supporting our efforts in community building and preserving Houston's premier green space.

$25,000+
Houston Endowment Inc.

$5,000-24,999
Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa
The Powell Foundation

$2,500-4,999
Dr. and Mrs. Edward A. Blackburn
Claire P. Caudill
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fant
Wendy and Mavis P. Kelsey, Jr. Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Michal Talbert

$1,500-2,499
The Bank of River Oaks
HSBC-North America
Mr. Mavis P. Kelsey, Jr.

$1,000-1,499
Hines Interests Limited Partnership
Luke's Locker, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. John Paukune
Mr. and Mrs.Richard Mithoff
Ms. Jeanie E. Connell
Mr. Don Gray*
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Moss

$500-999
The Hanover Company
BP Fabric of America Fund
Ms. Kelly Allen*
Ms. Martha Katherine Lipsitz
Mr. and Mrs. Larry A. Margolis
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Raspino
Mr. David Milton Underwood

For space consideration, we have limited our list to those gifts $500 and above. The gifts listed above have been received between October 1-31, 2008. Those asterisked (*) have given to Phase I of our Capital Campaign. Our sincere gratitude to those who have contributed and/or pledged since that time. Thank you for your continuing support of Memorial Park!