Programs

  • Program 1 [2021]

    IN FY 2020-2021, 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.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $42.5K

  • Enhancement of the Arboretum

    IN FY 2022-2023, THE FRIENDS OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE CONTINUED ITS WORK ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE ARBORETUM. DISEASED OR DYING TREES WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED BY NEW SAPLINGS. VOLUNTEERS HAVE TENDED THESE NEW TREES TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN VIABLE. TREES CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS FOR THE GROUNDS COMMITTEE AND FUNDING FOR REMOVAL OF TREES IS BEING SOURCED. THE HELIPAD AREA WAS TRANSITIONED INTO AN EDUCATION CENTER AND SIGNAGE WAS PLACED WITHIN NOTING THE HISTORY OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR, THE HISTORY OF THE FRIENDS AND INFORMATION ON 10 MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS. THE FRIENDS' PLAN IS TO ROTATE THE RECIPIENTS' INFORMATION ON A REGULAR BASIS; INFORMATIONAL SIGNS FOR THE NEXT 10 RECIPIENTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED. THE PUERTO RICO AREA OF THE GROVE WAS ENHANCED WITH A ROSE GRANITE OBELISK (REPLACING THE ORIGINAL FIBERGLASS ONE) AND NEW BRICKWORK; KENTUCKY'S SITE IS BEING REFURBISHED WITH REPLACEMENT OF ITS FIBERGLASS OBELISK, DEDICATION IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 2024. A GAZEBO WAS ERECTED, FUNDED ENTIRELY BY DONATIONS, TO HONOR MILITARY PERSONNEL KILLED IN TRAINING ACCIDENTS; THE SITE WAS DEDICATED IN JUNE 2023. BENCHES WERE PURCHASED, FUNDED BY THE PA LADIES AUX VFW, FOR PLACEMENT ACROSS THE GROVE. A SITE EVALUATION WAS DONE OF THE ENTIRE GROVE. BASED ON THE FINDINGS, A SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN IS BEING DRAFTED FOR BOARD APPROVAL. A MASTER PLAN FOR TREE MAINTENANCE, SITE MAINTENANCE IS BEING DRAFTED FOR THE BOARD AND SHOULD BE READY FOR APPROVAL IN 2024. DURING FY 2022-2023, OVER 800 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO HELP WITH VARIOUS TASKS IN THE GROVE: BOY SCOUTS DID PROJECTS TO EARN THEIR EAGLE RANK, CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS, SCHOOL GROUPS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HELPED WITH ORGANIZED CLEAN UP DAYS, PLANTING/TENDING THE NEW SAPLINGS, RE-LOCATING GROUND PLAQUES, AND MANY OTHER TASKS. THE FRIENDS' DEPEND ON THE GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION OF MAINTAINING, IMPROVING AND ENHANCING THE MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2022 – Jun 30, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $68.1K