As the weather warms and buds begin to bloom, the Friends of the Public Garden prepares for its signature springtime gala, the Green and White Ball, to be held on Friday, April 26, at Four Seasons Hotel Boston. The Green and White Ball raises funds to provide care for the Boston Common, Public Garden and Commonwealth Avenue Mall – the mission of the Friends since its inception almost 50 years ago.
The Honorary Chair for this 22nd annual black-tie gala is Peter A. Brooke, whose late wife Anne Brooke played an integral role in the organization and this event for many years. The co-Chairs, Beacon Hill’s Ashley Harmon, Amanda Pratt, Jessica Schmitz and Lisa Taffe, will welcome around 300 guests to enjoy a lively cocktail reception with signature drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres, a three-course dinner in the stunning Four Seasons ballroom, and dancing with the band Night Shift. Event partner Marc Hall Design will dazzle guests with his floral inspiration for this year – the rose.
Last year’s event raised $650,000 for the care of the Boston Common, Public Garden and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Funds raised allowed for the installation of “smart” irrigation systems in the Garden and Mall to conserve water and promote healthy trees and lawns. In a recent test, this new system proved to save over 44,000 gallons of water in just one panel of the Public Garden.
A slated 2019 project involves working with the City of Boston on a new master plan for the Common to bring this park to a higher level of excellence. Plans to light the sculptures on the Mall and improve the lighting of the Brewer Fountain are also in place.
“One of the projects for 2019 is to remove the Shaw 54th Memorial from its site for a full restoration, in partnership with the City, the National Park Service and the Museum of African American History,” said Elizabeth Vizza, Executive Director of the Friends. “Exciting projects such as these and stewardship of the parks would simply not be possible without the funds raised at this event.”
The Friends invests over $1.5 million a year to meet the urgent needs of the parks, from annual care and maintenance to major park improvement projects. Over the past two decades, the Green and White Ball has raised over $7 million to renew, care and advocate for the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Proceeds from the events have provided critical funds to ensure the health and beauty of these important green spaces.
To learn more about the Green and White Ball, visit www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org.