PRESS RELEASE
Rambling Rose Gala Raises Funds to Help Sustain Queens Botanical Garden, a Place to Heal in Nature
Above (left to right): Olivia Cothren, Lateisha Jones Thomas, Andrea Woodner, Julia Felix, Raymond D. Jasen
Flushing, NY— June 9, 2022. On the evening of Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Queens Botanical Garden (QBG), for the second year in a row, turned its annual Rose Gala into Rambling Rose Gala. Gala guests “rambled” through various gardens to enjoy the beauty of flowers, indulged at food stations, took part in garden tours, and crossed their fingers for a raffle drawing. The evening outdoors honored Andrea Woodner and Julia Felix with the Rose Gala Award for their longstanding support of the Garden in bringing nature and the arts to the community. The event raised over $150,000 in support of the Garden as the place where people, plants, and cultures meet!
In attendance were Raymond D. Jasen, QBG Board Chair, Partner-in-Charge of Tax of KPMG’s New York Financial Services; Andrea Woodner and Julia Felix, Rose Gala Honorees; Sandra Ung, New York City Council Member; Olivia Cothren, QBG Director of Development; Colin Kirk, QBG Gardener; Jennifer Ko, Assistant Gardener; supporters and sponsors.
“The Garden is nourished by the support of the community and we are so grateful to everyone who contributed to this event,” said Evie Hantzopoulos, QBG Executive Director. “The donations raised will ensure that the Queens Botanical Garden continues to provide beauty, healing, environmental programs, and culture to Queens and beyond.”
“We know that the Queens Botanical Garden is truly the people’s garden. It’s been reinterpreted and reinvented by generations of Flushing residents. And it prospers under the dedicated care of the remarkable Garden staff. And I can’t thank you enough for what you provide to this neighborhood, to this borough, and to this city,” said Andrea Woodner, Rose Gala Honoree. “There are really no words to adequately thank you for this honor…My congratulations to the Queens Botanical Garden. It is my best hope and best wishes for what I know will be a great and vibrant future.”
After expressing gratitude in being honored alongside long-time employer and friend, Andrea Woodner, Julia Felix, Rose Gala Honoree reflected, “Whenever I come [to the Garden], I get recharged. And I Iook at the people who work at the Garden; they are so dedicated.”
Queens Botanical Garden thanks the following individuals, companies, and foundations for their generous support of the Garden.
Yellow Rose
Saul & Gail Kupferberg, The Max and Selma Kupferberg Family Foundation, The Kupferberg Foundation • Andrea Woodner
Red Rose
Consolidated Edison of NY • Metro Management Development, Inc. • NewYork Presbyterian-Queens
Pink Rose
Cord Meyer Development • Dime Community Bank • Farrell Fritz Raymond Jasen • Main Street Radiology • Resorts World Casino NY • Robert & Rovena Schirling • Veronica Tsang • WAC Lighting/Glow Culture Center/Glow Foundation
White Rose
Lee-Lee Chang • Flushing Bank • Alison Fung • Dr. Wensong Li & Mrs. Jenny Zeng • RKLA Studio Landscape Architecture
Coral Rose
Altourage • Bartlett Tree Experts • BKSK Architects • Evie Hantzopoulos & David Motamed • Rose & James Huang • Edward Ip • Eve Klein • Rotary Club of Flushing • Susan Lacerte & Archie Hobson • Sino-American Friendship Association, Inc.
Rose Buds
ArborPro • Rodney Benson • Suzanne Brienza • Broadway Stages • Claire Bullard • Ming-der Chang • Stephanie Ehrlich/Van Cortlandt Park Alliance • EW Howell Construction Group • Howard B. Jacobson C.P.A., P.C. • Pauline Huang • ICS Agency • Eugene Kelty • Mabel Law • Maspeth Federal Savings • Edie Meyer • Frank Mirovsky • PKF O’Connor Davies • Edward & Reva Potter • Terri Powell • Queens Botanical Garden Tai Chi Group • Queens College • Nancy Shannon • Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel • Shopcore
About Queens Botanical Garden
Queens Botanical Garden is an urban oasis where people, plants, and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs and real-world applications of environmental stewardship. QBG is located on property owned by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Queens Borough President, the New York City Council, State elected officials, the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with corporate, foundation, and individual supporters. For more information, visit www.queensbotanical.org or call (718) 886-3800.
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