Greensward Funding Update: Monday Edition
This weekend, we surpassed the $25,000 mark in donations to the Greensward project, which unlocked another $25,000 in matching funds from an anonymous donor. We’ve also received several large pledges, putting us close to a quarter of our goal in only a week’s time. We are truly grateful for all of your support!
As of today, we have gifts from 12 states and all over the region. We’d love to see a gift from all 50 states, given Overton Park’s lasting impact on public space around the country. The park was designed by famed landscape architect George Kessler, who designed parks, communities, and residences in more than 20 states. His vision for parks’ integral role in cities is celebrated all over the country and in major cities like St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.
In addition, the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe Supreme Court decision is a landmark case in administrative law and is still heavily cited today. It established a precedent that the government must exhaust all feasible and prudent alternatives before building infrastructure on public lands. In saving Overton Park, the environmental advocates of Memphis saved countless other spaces across the country, which is what led to its starring role in PBS’ “10 Parks That Changed America” documentary last year.
Got friends in Alaska, Nebraska, or Idaho? Ask them to pitch in a little for a park that means so much.
We’re also working on some ideas for grassroots fundraising and a list of events whose proceeds will directly benefit the Conservancy. If you’ve got an idea, please give us a call at 901-214-5450 or send an e-mail to [email protected].
Let’s keep the momentum going! We’ll need gifts at all levels to make this project succeed and end Greensward parking forever, and we’ve already seen hundreds of people step up. Donate today at www.overtonpark.org/greensward or by mailing your check to Overton Park Conservancy at 1914 Poplar Avenue, Suite 202, Memphis, TN 38104.
