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When we heard that President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping found a common meeting ground at the peaceful Filoli estate and gardens, we understood. We know that gardens heal, teach, inspire, and please, and it was satisfying to see that two of the most prominent world leaders (and their teams) felt that as well. Today, as we approach Thanksgiving and the season of giving, we’re writing to invite you to contribute to the Western Hills Garden Preservation & Growth Fund –– campaign to provide the resources we need to steward this historic place into the future. If you’ve ever tended a garden, you know how much work it entails. And while we’ve learned a lot over the last two years and have strong momentum, the size and scope of the project are too much for us to handle alone. It costs about $150,000 per year to operate Western Hills with our current, minimal staffing and overhead. So far, we are primarily self-funded. To provide for long-term upkeep and improvements, and to ensure the garden’s longevity as a community resource, we are hoping to raise $50,000 by year’s end, and $300,000 over the next year.
As an incentive to our community, one of our generous donors has offered a matching grant for the first $10k raised, and we recently received a $10k grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. So we are on our way! But we need your help.
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