Donating Makes a Difference!
When visiting the Arboretum and choosing to make cash and check gifts in appreciation of visiting, gift drop boxes are found at the kiosk in the parking lot nearest the Pavilion, and at the Frances Plecker Education Center.
Become a Friend of the EJC Arboretum
If a greater contribution is intended while browsing today or at any time, click the 'Give Now' button on the left to donate using a charge card. Online giving is appreciated in any amount. For gifts of $1,000 or more, a brass engraved leaf in your, a loved one's, or a business name, will be added to our donor plaque found in the lobby of the Frances Plecker Education Center so that arboretum visitors in perpetuity will know of your generosity!
Memorial Trees and Benches
The arboretum offers dedicated specimen trees as living memorials, and recommends size, species, and location of each memorial tree. The donation for a memorial tree is $1,500. This amount is needed to purchase, plant, water, and maintain until established, and produce signage. Funds remaining are managed for long-term upkeep of the memorial trees, and replacements of unsuccessful tree plants as needed. The arboretum identifies the beneficial site for memorial trees.
Memorial trees are tended for their lifetime and every effort is made to ensure they thrive. The arboretum replaces failed trees up to five years after planting. If failure occurs after the fifth year, additional negotiated donor contribution is necessary to replant a replacement tree.
Signage is consistent with arboretum tree labeling. Honoree recognition is important, is secondary to species identification labeling, and is brief and discrete. The arboretum is a public scientific research preserve and garden, and the emphasis rightly is on the educational aspect of memorial plantings.
For a donation of $5,000, a memorial bench with a sign naming an honoree, can be placed within strategic gardens or scenic locations of the arboretum. The Memorial Bench donation is priced to include ongoing maintenance of the bench over its manufacturer’s lifetime. Benches vary and may be sculpted concrete or wooden.
If while browsing today or at any time a dedicated tree living memorial or memorial bench is desired, click the 'Give Now' button on the left to donate using a charge card. Once your donation is received, we'll be in touch with Honorary Tree donors to begin working to create your memorial.
Campaign for Arboretum Accessibility
A fundraising campaign is underway for arboretum friends who wish to specifically contribute any amount without naming purposes to proposed handicapped accessibility features. These new accessibility features include an accessible trail that encircles the arboretum pond, with a garden to serve as a performance stage and viewing platform at its trailhead, and a terrace at the Frances Plecker Education Center intended for use in horticulture therapy and doubling as an accessible viewing area. While each or any of these may be negotiated to be major gift naming opportunities as well, friends of the arboretum wishing to contribute any gift amount without naming to the accessibility campaign, may donate using a charge card and clicking the 'Give Now' button on the left.
Additional Donor Opportunities
For major donors wishing to memorialize their name, or the name of a loved one, a variety of significant architectural and garden features presently in design phase are available as naming opportunities. Naming opportunities will have the honor of positive association with a favored university urban botanical preserve, highly ranked among JMU Alumni and the Harrisonburg and Shenandoah Valley resident and business community. Please phone or email to be referred to appropriate JMU development officers and the Arboretum Director for more information, (540) 568-4801 or mahonjs@jmu.edu. All major memorial donations for significant feature naming opportunities in the arboretum must be coordinated with the Arboretum Master Plan.
