Arboretum 75th Anniversary kick-off celebration and endowment launch
On October 19, Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum Board President Nancy Shapiro along with her husband Howard, hosted a kick-off celebration in honor of the Arboretum’s 75th anniversary. The evening was a wonderful way to look back at the history of the Arboretum with many of the people integral to its growth and look forward to a strong future as we embark on a campus-wide public garden project. We are so grateful for their generosity and leadership!
During the program portion of the event, UC Davis Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter expressed his feelings about the important role that the Arboretum plays on campus, highlighting the restorative nature of the gardens, as a place for both reflection and recreation.
Arboretum Director Kathleen Socolofsky ended the evening with a thank you to our long-time supporters, with a very special thank you to Superintendent Emeritus, Warren Roberts. Through his tireless love and devotion to the Arboretum, Warren was the inspiration for our new planned giving society, the Warren G. Roberts Arboretum Legacy Society, established to honor endowment and planned giving donors. The establishment of this society is an important first step to building a $50M endowment that will support the Arboretum for future generations.
Thank you to everybody who helped make this very special night so wonderful!