FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/15/2014
SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN
230 QUAIL GARDENS DR. ENCINITAS CA, 92024
760-436-3036
SDBGARDEN.ORG
San Diego Botanic Garden Partners with Local Military
San Diego Botanic Garden is pleased and proud to support ongoing partnerships with the local military.
Today, April 15th, the Garden is lucky to have the Civil Affairs Detachment, I Marine Expeditionary Force
(I MEF) from Camp Pendleton who is kindly assisting the Garden with digging a trench to install new
cable lines. The 12 person I MEF Civil Affairs Detachment unit has generously volunteered their time for
the whole day to help us complete this project.
The two groups have partnered together in the past when Paul Sommers and Bill Erysian of California
State University, Fresno taught a three-day agricultural training course to military personnel at San
Diego Botanic Garden in March. The training was a horticultural overview for approximately 20
personnel from Camp Pendleton who will eventually be deploying to work on agricultural based civil
affairs projects with local communities. With assistance and direction from San Diego Botanic Garden’s
horticulture staff led by Director of Horticulture Paul Redeker, Paul Sommers, a San Diego Botanic
Garden Volunteer, and Bill Erysian taught watershed management and soil erosion control. Their focus
was on the types of problems the military personnel could encounter after natural calamities and what
the impact would be on crops and plantations.
These important training courses will continue at the Garden and the next one will be held in June.
San Diego Botanic Garden is grateful to the members of the military for their courageous and
meaningful service. Thanks to the support of a generous San Diego Botanic Garden friend who is
underwriting two-thirds of the cost, the Garden is able to show our appreciation by offering a deeply
discounted annual membership for active duty families and individuals. Until December, 31, 2014, an
annual Family/Dual membership is $28.00 (regularly priced $85.00) and an annual Individual
membership is $18.00 (regularly priced $55.00).
In addition, this same friend of San Diego Botanic Garden helps to underwrite the Garden’s participation
in the Blue Star Museums program of the National Endowment of the Arts. The Blue Star program
offers active duty military and their families (card carrier +5) free admission to San Diego Botanic Garden
and many other museums throughout the summer. We are excited to be able to participate once again
in the Blue Star program and to have this opportunity to thank and recognize our friends who serve our
country.
San Diego Botanic Garden also looks forward to future partnership opportunities with our wonderful
and dedicated military personnel.
For more information about either active duty military memberships, or the Garden’s participation in
the Blue Star Museums program, please call Stasi at (760) 436-3036, ext. 214.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/15/2014
San Diego Botanic Garden Partners with Local Military
San Diego Botanic Garden is an oasis nestled in Encinitas in San Diego County. Visitors
enjoy restful vistas, flowering trees, majestic palms, and the nation’s largest bamboo
collection. The Garden is on 37 acres and consists of four miles of garden trails throughout
29 uniquely themed gardens including: Hamilton Children’s Garden, Mexican Garden,
Tropical Rain Forest, and Mediterranean Garden.
For more information please contact
Jodie Wiebusch
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
jwiebusch@SDBGarden.org