LETTERS FROM LOCKERLY: A community treasure

Published 9:13 am Tuesday, October 15, 2024

On Thursday, Oct. 17, we are hosting one of our most popular events: Wine in the Woods; where you can enjoy Lockerly in cooler temperatures and the setting sun cast a welcoming glow on the trees. We are doubly excited to showcase our art exhibition, Forest Forms. Have a stroll, enjoy a glass of wine (or beer if you prefer), and see the art scattered throughout the arboretum (buy your tickets at Lockerly.org/events).

This event is sponsored by Heritage Tax & Accounting Services. Because of their generosity, we can offer Georgia Military College employees and alumni a special discounted rate of only $10.

I moved to Milledgeville almost two years ago. One of the first community events I attended was Wine in the Woods, and it was then that I fell in love with Lockerly. The wine was lovely, but the other guests’ kindness and beautiful surroundings greatly impacted me.

Fast-forward to today. I am the marketing consultant at Lockerly. I aim to get the word out to as many people as possible about the treasure we have in the arboretum. Public gardens are a rare refuge against the hecticness of modern life, and Lockerly is a perfect example. Combining its natural beauty with being free and open to the public makes us a community treasure everyone can enjoy.

Over the last month, staff have been discussing Lockerly’s values, goals, hopes and dreams, and putting them down on paper. We are combining the vision statement from our Founder to positively impact the community with our own vision of what we as a team can bring. And we have a great team.

Led by Jennifer Pollard, our executive director since 2017, she provides a guiding force that has brought Lockerly in Lights to life and pulled off a fantastic feat to bring Forest Forms to the arboretum. Vicki Folendore gets all the administrative details done while keeping the rest of us in line. AD Williams is the backbone that keeps us all grounded in the same detailed way he takes care of the grounds. Carter Payne is our horticulturist, an employee and full-time student, committed to the conservation and stewardship of the property. Kensey Amerson is our most recent addition. Her passion for environmental education and outdoor adventure is contagious. We are all united in our love of Lockerly.

We are so excited about what is to come at Lockerly Arboretum. Basking in the glow from the opening of our first art exposition, Forest Forms, our team is energized to forge into the future, sharing our wonder of the natural world with the community. We are excited to share Lockerly with everyone.