(by Kimmie Whiteman)
Earlier this month, the Massabesic Center held a special event to celebrate the opening of our brand new All Persons Trail at NH Audubon’s Massabesic Wildlife Sanctuary in Auburn. Envisioned by long-time volunteer and supporter Dee Cleary, Art Walk in the Garden came to life with a fun meld of nature, art, and frabjous community. Visitors were immersed in the experience as soon as they arrived, surrounded by gardens sprinkled with sculptures and novel outdoor-themed art pieces, painters set up with strategic viewpoints for live canvas painting, and blooming plants buzzing with pollinators.
The volunteer gardening team, who lovingly tend to the space all year round, rallied around Dee and the event. Our multi-talented team members created and offered sculptures, bud vases bursting with blooms from the gardens, and put in extra work to have the gardens in tip-top shape. Walt Swist, one of our key Vegetable Garden team members, created an indoor photography exhibit to highlight the yield harvested from our own gardens. Walt’s fun and artistic photo arrangements are a light-hearted capture of the real impact our gardens at Massabesic have. Last year, we donated over 500 pounds of food to the New Horizons shelter in Manchester, and we’re on track for a similar yield this year.
Our team fostered new partnerships with organizations like Studio 550 in Manchester, who contributed a whimsical selection of handmade fairy houses to the event, and the Palace Theatre, who chose us and our event as a stop along their annual Garden Tour fundraiser. Lunch was provided by Greenhouse Pizza Truck to fill bellies at the end of the day. Long-time partners were bursting with enthusiasm, too! UNH Extension Master Gardeners set up a booth to answer garden-related questions and greet visitors to the Demonstration Gardens. Manchester Transit Authority offered free transportation to folks from Veteran’s Park out to Massabesic. While we ultimately didn’t see enough RSVPs for the buses to run, it was a testament to how eager the city’s bus system is to help provide Manchester residents with access to green spaces throughout the region.
The day brought two hundred thirty-one visitors to the Massabesic Center to experience the fun. Sixteen artists from various organizations, including Manchester Artists Association, the NH Potters Guild, and the League of NH Craftsmen, offered over 40 works, including sparkling glass sun-catchers, bird baths, and wooden chimes. Plein air painters created pieces for their audience groups. Most of the art pieces were available for sale, with over $500 in proceeds going to support NH Audubon’s mission to protect New Hampshire’s natural environment for wildlife and for people.