Montgomery Garden Club Federation Endows Fund for Excellence in AU's Department of Horticulture

The Montgomery Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. has donated $215,000 to establish an endowed fund for excellence in CoAg's Department of Horticulture.

The outright gift was made possible by the federation's recent sale of Hillcrest, a historic home in the capital city's Garden District that had served as the organization's meeting place since 1962.

Some $200,000 of the organization's total donation is being invested as a long-term base of constant support for the horticulture department. Each year, earnings from the investment will fund six horticulture undergraduate scholarships and two graduate student fellowship awards, with a portion also earmarked for faculty development and support. The federation gave the additional $15,000 so that the awards can begin with the 2004-05 school year.

Under the agreement establishing the fund, priority for the undergraduate scholarships will be given to qualified horticulture students from Montgomery and Elmore counties.

Nell Copeland, chairwoman of the federation's board of trustees, says that in creating the endowment, members are confident they are leaving a legacy that will have an impact for generations to come.

"We felt that the best way to make a lasting contribution was to enhance the horticulture program at Auburn and help provide learning opportunities for young people who are interested, as we are, in improving and preserving the landscape," Copeland says.

The endowment, which is one of the largest donations the AU horticulture department has ever received, is "a tremendous gift that will make a difference in the lives of many students, their families and their communities," department chair Charles Gilliam says. He is especially grateful that the federation designated a percentage of the fund for faculty development. Those dollars primarily will be used to help support travel by AU horticulture faculty to famous gardens worldwide, so that they can bring fresh ideas back to their students and to Alabama residents, Gilliam adds.

Hillcrest, a South Court Street landmark built in 1916, was purchased by the Montgomery Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. in 1962 and through the years was the site of countless events, from meetings and educational programs to weddings and receptions.

Hillcrest's new owners are renovating the house and reportedly plan to lease the first floor for special events and turn the second floor into a bed-and-breakfast establishment.

For information on endowment giving to the AU College of Agriculture, contact Mark Wilton at 334-844-1198 or wiltomt@auburn.edu.

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