Now, the Featured Presentation...

As promised in our post earlier this week (Volunteers: Our Shining Stars), here is your follow-up story with our Volunteer of the Year award winners and pictures! Again, let's give a round of applause to our stars for making all of our work possible! We sincerely appreciate everything you do to make The Gardens stand out. With your help we educate nearly 40,000 people every year, including 10,000 schoolchildren. We are Alabama's most visited free attraction with more than 350,000 visitors each year. We make a great team! Let's keep up the good work in 2011!

Dr. John A. Floyd was awarded the Ida C. Burns
Volunteer of the Year award from Executive Director
Fred Spicer and a standing ovation from the audience.

 

Plant Sale Treasurers Cathy Canant, Terri
DiMuro, Jeanon Massien, and the late
Teresa Neal were collectively given the new
A. Brand Walton Unsung Hero award
for "behind the scenes service" to The Gardens.

 Newly retired  Horticulture Superviser Linda Emerson
congratulates Dr. Ed Fineburg on receiving the
Plantsperson of the Year award for his work
in the George Washington Carver garden.

Ellen Hardy named Carol Hinshaw,
who could not be present, Educator of the Year
for her work as a Discovery Field Trip docent.

On Wednesday, December 15, Andrew Krebbs appeared on Fox 6's Good Day Gardening segment, and presented them with the Community Partner of the Year award live on air (watch it here). Special thanks to Fox for their years of support to the community and especially to The Gardens!

Activities Coordinator Alicia Andrews and the UAB Jazz Combo
thrilled the crowd with a stirring rendition of the holiday classic,
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

This one is just because it's a pretty picture.
A pansy in the Rushton Garden.