2023 Annual Report

My Account

From the President - 2023 in Review

2023 was a big year for our society. We turned 40! The board took a serious look at our mission, values, and vision statements and a new growth strategy. This was completed with the help of an outside firm, Convergent Non-Profit Solutions.

Through their assistance we conducted a feasibility study to learn our current position within the community and we also engaged them to lead our annual strategic planning session. We learned much, created a great blueprint to help us move forward and are looking forward to an outstanding 2024.

Education

Little Sprouts

MAS provided a full-time education coordinator to the arboretum this year. Hannah Hill was able to provide educational outlets throughout the year with our Little Sprouts program engaging children ages 2-5 in activities to heighten their awareness of nature and the world around them.

 

Nature Home School Groups

Nature Home School Groups were also developed for grades K-5. Home schooler groups came to the arboretum to explore the theme “Around the World in Ecosystems.”

 

Bird Walks

In partnership with the Lahontan Audubon Society monthly bird walks were offered enabling members and the community to tour the arboretum and learn about the species of birds that migrate through during the seasons.

 

Tree Walks

Spring and Fall tree walks were led by arborist Rod Haulenbeek. Members and the community were led around the arboretum to learn about the life cycle of trees, how they can talk to you, what happens when they wake up in spring and then go to bed in the fall.

 

Test Gardens

Two test gardens were developed. These gardens are in anticipation of our proposed newest garden, The Cactus and Succulent Garden. These test gardens will help us to determine the best soil mixture to use and what cacti will hardy over the winter here in Reno. These studies are critical to the installation and success of the garden.

Arboretum Support

In 2023 the society provided $164,681 in funding to the arboretum.

Our society continues to support the arboretum through the funding of staff. While the industry standard is 1 FTE per cultivated acre the arboretum runs much short of this. We provide 3 full-time employees of the 6 who work year-round. The criticality of this resource to the arboretum is paramount.

Due to the big winter the arboretum suffered many downed trees. Our society provided funding for 27 replacement trees.

To help eliminate many hours of manual labor we purchased a snowplow attachment for one of our mule carts. What took many hours of manual snow removal has now been eliminated with the use of the plow.

Endowment Fund

In 2016 the society received an anonymous donation of $5,000,000.00 to start an endowment to enable the long-term sustainability of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. This endowment is managed by Vicken Ekmekjian, CFA and Managing Director with CIBC Wealth Advisors in San Francisco.

The long-term goal is to raise the fund to 20 million dollars. With this goal our society would be able to assure the long-term sustainability of the arboretum. It would allow us to cover the costs of maintaining the operations and growth of the arboretum that is so loved by much of the community without having to worry about economic turns and the current inability of the county to fully embrace the necessary care needed to present a world class presence that we hope will become a destination attraction of Reno.

The following graphs depict the 2023 performance of the fund:

2023 Profit and Loss

Total
Income
Membership
44,226.00
Donations
29,917.33
Dividends and Interest
216,814.45
Events
$70,031.79
Gross Profit
360,989.57
Expenses
Events
61,727.82
Washoe County Arboretum Support
162,676.26
MAS Operating
189,765.89
Total Expenses
414,169.97
Net Operating Income
-53,180.40
Total Other Income
162.91
Net Income
-$53,017.49

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2023

Total
ASSETS
Current Assets
Bank Accounts
$127,464.43
Other Current Assets
6,176,455.79
Total Current Assets
6,303,920.22
Fixed Assets
55,077.80
Other Assets
$ -
TOTAL ASSETS
$6,358,998.02
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable
23,721.74
Other Current Liabilities
155.00
Total Current Liabilities
$23,876.74
Total Liabilities
$23,876.74
Equity
$6,388,138.77
Net Income
-$53,017.49
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
$6,358,998.02

Mission, Vision, and Values

The newly developed statements will guide our organization going forward.

Our Vision

Ensure the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has the resources to become a world-class destination for future generations.

Our Mission

To advocate for and invest in the advancement of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

 

Our Values

 

Stewardship

Responsibly utilizing our resources to maintain and grow the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens into a world-class botanical destination.

 

Education

Introducing our community to and fostering an appreciation for the wide variety of living horticultural collections within the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

 

Preservation

Ensuring future generations of our community have the opportunity to explore the natural resources from around the world that reside in the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

2023 Board of Directors

Frances Munoz
President
get to know me
Laurel Vickers
Secretary
get to know me
Debbie Bentley
Treasurer
get to know me
Lane Johnson
Director
get to know me
Rod Dimmitt
Director
get to know me
Carla Mischel
Director
get to know me
Liz Morrow
Director
get to know me

Donors

We have received several donations to our society this year, and greatly appreciate all those who have donated. Out of respect for privacy, we have not listed names for 2023.

You know who you are, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Partners

In 2023 we sought out partners to help with offsetting costs of events the society held. We would be remiss to not mention their generosity and support for the arboretum.

 

Del Aguilar – All Seasons Lawn and Landscape
John Simpson- Press Start Arcade
Bruce and Christie Gescheider- Moana Nursery
Dan Oakley – Oakley Automotive “Wayne’s Automotive Center”
Joseph Ysais – Best Plumbing and Heating LLC
Rick Reviglio – Western Nevada Supply

In Kind Donation

Lauren Whitenack – Lahontan Audubon Society
Rod Haulenbeek
Rom Marcucci – Sierra Lighting
Wyatt Smith – Sound Bath by Wyatt
Alexander Moreno – The Helping Moon

Volunteers

Throughout the year we have many volunteers that help our society with its various events and committees. We thank you.

Suzanne Arney
Debbie Bentley
Heather Noelle
Robert Martin
Carol Burns
Sandy Macey
Denise Myer
Shannon Speak
Carla Mischel
Lane Johnson
Brad Hayes
Mercedes Parodi
Chris Veach
Susan Mullen
Laura Warren
Sharon Fabbri
Victoria Nilson
Edward Campau
Doris Dimmitt
Rod Dimmitt
Zoe Ginchereau
Terri O’Bryan
Karen Steines

Kass Kirkham
Linda Enteles
Luke Sorenson
Martha McRae
Connie Douglas
Larry Douglas
Caroline Harkness
Pamela McAdoo
Pat Behal-Leedy
Patricia Patton
Rod Haulenbeek
Sadie Dukatz
Terri Durgan
Tina Nappe
Tonya Meyers
Sharon Lane
Sandy Zoerner
Liz Morrow
Hannah Hill
Jannet Vreelan
Alex Lacko
Lauren Bentley
Larryn Bell

Molly Campau
Joyce Kelner-Mehew
Patricia Black
Joe Reinhard
Joyce Lupan
Rita Laden
Danny Carrasco
Deborah Pontius
Gail Vice
Janet Stewart
Genny Wilson
Trudy Hirakoa
Chris Pankey
Sara Oliver Erwine
Aimee Giller
Amber Hilberg
Amy Bess
Kurt Buehring
Bradon Franklin
Tricia Brown

Wrapping Up

There is so much to be grateful for with our society. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the board members and committee chairs of 2023 for the exceptional work and perseverance you brought forward. As we move into 2024, we have many plans and goals to meet that will bring about even more of an opportunity for us to shine a light on the arboretum and its benefit to the communities we serve.

—

Frances Munoz
President

May Arboretum Society Logo

The Heart of Your Arboretum

The May Arboretum Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to the life, growth, and long term sustainability of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum, your arboretum, at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in beautiful downtown Reno. Events, education, lectures and workshops enrich our members, our city, and our society as a whole.

Frances Munoz

Executive Director

Frances has lived in the Reno/Sparks area for the past 29 years. Her professional background is in retail banking and credit union management. Currently she is the branch manager for US Bank – a position she has held for the past ten years. Frances is an advocate for mental health and animal rights issues and her love of travel has found her in countries all over the  world and throughout the US. Through her travels she has become passionate about cultural diversity as well as developing a sincere and strong love of where she has been fortunate enough to live her life – the US. Frances enjoys spending time with family, gardening, reading and visiting sports stadiums to cheer on the local teams as she works toward her goal of visiting every major league baseball park in the country.

Laurel Vickers

President

Laurel Vickers is a fourth generation Nevadan and grew up in Gardnerville. She attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where she earned her bachelor’s in business, and then furthered her education by earning her MBA at the University of Texas at Austin. Her career is focused in leading global and domestic companies through complex M&A and HR transformation initiatives. Laurel has a strong passion for traveling and has visited over 40 countries for both work and fun. While traveling, she developed her love for gardening during visits to botanical gardens, parks, and arboretums around the world. She currently serves as the Secretary for the May Arboretum Society.

Debbie Bentley

Treasurer

Debbie was thrilled to discover the May Arboretum Society and has found a home for her passion of gardens with the May Arboretum Society. She is new to Reno, but was a member of the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California for years. She is an accounting professional with more than 16 years of experience in operational, technical and project accounting. She looks forward to putting her skills and her passion to use to help the society reach their goals.

Lane Johnson

Event Sound Coordinator

Lane Johnson, Director, grew up across the street from the current Rancho San Rafael Park. As a boy, he would cross the street, crawl through the barbed wire fence, and play in the fields of the ranch. On occasion, they would find the children playing on the property and would run them off with the sound of a shotgun. In a matter of months, Lane and his friends would find themselves back on the ranch exploring and having new adventures. Lane, who continues to live in the same neighborhood, can be found at the May Arboretum at least once, if not two to three times each day and enjoys taking photos of the wildlife, plants, and trees. A life-long Reno resident, Lane is a middle school counselor for the Washoe County School District, working in education for more than 25 years.

Rod Dimmitt

Director

Rod was born in Denver Colorado, and moved around a lot in his early childhood years, landing in Southern California. He graduated from Villa Park High School, in Orange County, and went to San Jose State University, where he met his lovely wife, Doris. Rod retired from a career in Retailing and Warehousing and Distribution in 2014. Rod has been a Cactus nerd for decades and has an extensive collection of cold hardy cactus that survive the Winters of Northern Nevada. Rod’s goal, since becoming involved with the May Arboretum seven years ago, is to help develop a Cactus and Succulent Garden for the Botanical Garden, where he works as a part-time seasonal and volunteers his time in the off-season. Rod has taken several Eco-tourism trips to see Cactus and Succulents in their native habitats in Mexico and South Africa, not to mention the Desert Southwest.

Carla Mischel

Director
Carla was raised in the deserts of Southern California, where she met her husband, Michael. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. One of her favorite positions was in Human Resources, where she hired workers to test the B-2 bomber at Edwards Air Force Base, California. After her children were school-age, she became an elementary school teacher and the Director of Technology. In this position, she propelled the school to become a “Google Classroom” online school, which left the school in a prime position for remote learning during the pandemic. Carla and her husband moved to Reno in 2017 after falling in love with the area during their many trips to visit their UNR nursing student daughter. She is passionate about traveling, visiting beautiful gardens, photography, and scrapbooking. Carla also enjoys tending to her own garden of vegetables and flowers. Since her time in Reno, she has found the Arboretum to hold many enjoyable surprises on the garden trails with the vast blend of plants and various landscapes the grounds embrace.

Liz Morrow

Director

Liz was raised in the Reno/Sparks area and attended the University of Nevada, Reno
where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Liz is also a graduate of The Portland Bible College and is an active member and volunteer in her church. Liz worked in banking since she was a student at the University and retired after 32 years from Wells Fargo Bank. After retiring, she became a Certified Master Gardener through the
Cooperative Extension where she volunteers several hours a month. Her gardening
passions include succulents, growing flowers, fruits and vegetables. Liz also became a
Certified Master Food Preserver through the Cooperative Extension. She and her husband Lance have a son, two beautiful granddaughters and pets which include a dog, backyard chickens and a small fishpond. In addition to gardening, her hobbies include spending time with friends, reading, cooking and traveling—foreign and domestic.