FRIENDS OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE

IN FY 2018-2019, THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE OBTAINED THE DESIGNATION AS A LEVEL I ARBORETUM BY ARBNET. THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE ALSO OBTAINED A 25,000 DONATION FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE ARBORETUM AND SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE GROVE EXPLAINING THE ORIGIN OF THE GROVE, RECIPIENT'S STORIES, HISTORY OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR AND THE MISSION OF THE FRIENDS OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE. A PORTION OF THE 25,000 GRANT WAS COMBINED WITH A 15,000 GRANT FROM THE MCLEAN CONTRIBUTIONSHIP TO HIRE THE MORRIS ARBORETUM STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA TO DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN FOR THE LONG-TERM CARE OF THE GROVE. THE FINAL REPORT WILL INCLUDE DIGITAL MAPPING, TREE IDENTIFICATION, TREE CARE, A RECOMMENDED PLANTING LIST BASED ON THE SPECIFIC AREA IN THE GROVE AND A RECOMMENDATION AND BUDGET FOR REMOVAL OF DEAD TREES. IN ADDITION, THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE OBTAINED OVER 50,000 OF CORPORATE AND PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO REPLACE THE FIBERGLASS PUERTO RICO MONUMENT WITH A MONUMENT MADE OF ROSE GRANITE AND NEW BRICKWORK. THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE CONTINUED THE REMOVAL OF DEAD TREES CAUSED BY AGING AND THE EMERALD ASH BORER. WITH ASSISTANCE OF THE LOCAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, TWO AREAS WERE DESIGNATED AS A BIRD AND BUTTERFLY AREA AND PLANTED WITH OVER 60 BUSHES. 20,000 WAS RAISED TO REPLACE THE PENNSYLVANIA ACRE SIDEWALK AND BRICKWORK AND PATH TO THE GROUND PLAQUES. A 25,000 DONATION WAS RECEIVED AND IS DEDICATED TO THE REPURPOSING OF THE HELIPAD. A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT IS DESIGNING PLANS TO INCLUDE A MAINTENANCE BUILDING AND AN OUTDOOR MEETING AREA. WE EXPECT TO FILE FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS BY YEAR END 2019 AND BEGIN WORK IN THE SPRING OF 2020. OVER 800 VOLUNTEERS HELPED IN THE GROVE RANGING FROM CORPORATE VOLUNTEER DAYS, SCHOOL GROUPS TO THE GENERAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATING ON ORGANIZED CLEAN-UPS AND PLANTING DAYS.