| Friends of the Gardens Seeking Support |
| St. Cloud, Minn. – The Friends of the Gardens’ mission is to protect one of the region’s most precious assets and to secure the Clemens and Munsinger Gardens beauty and peace for future generations. The Friends generate support for the Gardens on a yearly basis and work with the City of St. Cloud as a public-private collaboration to ensure the beauty and overall grandeur of the Gardens is maintained and preserved. The Gardens have an annual operating budget of over $500,000, of which approximately one-third is privately funded. The City of St. Cloud and the Friends of the Gardens Advisory Board are partnering to help raise funds to restore damage done in the Clemens Garden. In light of recent vandalism and theft that has occurred in the Gardens, portions of both the Windsor Court and Jenny Crane foundations were destroyed for the theft of bronze. The crime was reported to the St. Cloud Police Department, but no suspects have been identified. The cost and time to restore the fountains will be significant. While there is insurance to cover the crime, the deductible is substantial. Chairwoman of the Friends of the Gardens Advisory Council Penny White remarked, “This is an unfortunate situation and we are saddened by this act against one of our community’s treasures. We are asking the community to stand with us as we work to restore the Gardens that bring joy to so many.” Contributions for the Friends of the Gardens can be made by visiting https://www.communitygiving.org/friends-of-the-gardens/ The Friends of the Gardens is an initiative of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, in partnership with CommunityGiving. The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. |