N° 69 — September 15, 2021
Stay in touch as we celebrate Washington Youth Garden's 50th Anniversary. Enjoy our updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and WYG.
When you become a FONA member, your gift supports all of FONA and helps programs like Washington Youth Garden thrive! We're celebrating WYG's 50th anniversary by redesigning our garden, adapting our school garden support programs, and expanding our youth development program. Join the celebration by becoming a FONA member or renewing today!
Join Our Team!
Apply by October 4th to become FONA's Director of Foundations and Government Relations. This person will lead FONA's foundation and government fundraising strategies and work with a team to manage grants from proposal to close-out.

FONA's Fall Festivities
Join us for fall festivities and connect with nature at the National Arboretum. We're hosting tons of activities and events, including:
School Garden Maintenance Morning:
Saturday, September 18th, 9 AM - 12 PM

Connect with local garden experts, learn sustainable gardening techniques, and prepare your garden for fall at Washington Youth Garden. Free garden supplies are also available for DC garden educators.
Bulb Sale:
Saturday, October 2nd, 9 AM - 12 PM

Maximize fall gardening in preparation for spring with bags of bulbs and advice from expert gardeners. This outdoor sale is located in the New York Avenue parking lot directly inside the New York Avenue entrance. FONA members receive a special gift with their purchase!
Fall 5K Run:
Saturday, October 9th, staggered start 9 - 10 AM

Take in the open roads, colorful foliage, and brisk air as you wind your way throughout the Arboretum. Tickets are $30 (20% off for FONA members) and include a complimentary Arboretum-themed neck gaiter for the first 200 registrants. Runners have a staggered start between 9 and 10 AM.
Forest Bathing:
Multiple Dates September - December

Discover something new on every twisting trail and curated collection during this guided meditation experience. Our suggested ticket price is $35, but please pay what you can to attend.
Washington Youth Garden has provided over 4,000 Grow@Home kits to students throughout the DC region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. These kits allow students to connect with garden science from wherever they are.
We are making more kits for the 2021-2022 school year and we'd like your help! Volunteers can help build Grow@Home Kits in the garden on the following days:
  • Friday, September 17th
  • Wednesday, September 22nd
  • Wednesday, September 29th
  • Saturday, October 2nd

Thanks for helping!
Herbarium Updates
Join the National Arboretum on Wednesday, September 22nd at 2 PM for Pressing Matters. This free, virtual event series explores the National Arboretum's herbarium collection.

During the third installment in this series, Herbarium Curator Dr. Harlan Svoboda will give an exclusive look how preserved plant specimens are digitized and how citizen scientists (like you!) can help transform these specimens into accessible digital tools.
Photo from USNA
Vote for "Best of DC"
Vote for the National Arboretum for Best of DC 2021! Voting ends September 19th. Please vote for the U.S. National Arboretum for the following categories:
Our friends at the National Bonsai Foundation are also up for a few "Best of DC" categories. Check out what they're nominated for and help the entire Arboretum family shine this year!
The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th. Some buildings and collections remain closed to ensure visitor and staff safety.
Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.544.8733
FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.
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