Treehouse Gang fundraiser nears $250,000 mark

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The donor-driven group known as the Treehouse Gang has raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars toward the construction of the first of three tree houses in the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden at Garvan Woodland Gardens, the botanical garden said in a news release this week.

In addition to some $172,000 raised and pledged by 96 donors, the group was instrumental in raising an additional $60,000 from the Oaklawn Foundation for the educational component of the Tree House to be constructed, the release said.

Sunny Evans and the estate of her late husband, Robert P. “Bob” Evans, last year committed $500,000 of a previous estate gift to create matching funds to construct the $1 million treehouse at Garvan Gardens.

“I do not know of another totally donor driven project that has had the success of the Treehouse Gang Project and for that we owe an eternal debt

of gratitude to the committee and all those who participated. So to one and all, thank you. The project was a roaring success and Garvan Woodland Gardens is blessed to have such passionate, committed donors,” said Bob Bledsoe, Garvan Gardens’ executive director.

The committee members are Tom Vandegrift, chairman, Sunny Evans, Ed Copeland, Don Munro, Susan Harper, and Tom Petillo.

The public phase of the continuing fundraising efforts for the treehouse project will begin later this year, along with the announcement from the University of Arkansas of its public capital campaign, Campaign Arkansas, the release said.

The treehouse was designed by Modus Studio in Fayetteville.

The Evanses have a legacy of supporting the University of Arkansas, particularly the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design’s Garvan Woodland Gardens. In addition to the children’s garden, their prior contributions helped complete the sanctuary within the Anthony Chapel and provided funding for the Evans Groom’s Quarters and the Evans Celebration Garden.