Our Progress

In 2002, membership in the Friends organization grew to over 560, with annual giving by those members increasing five fold over 2001 donations.
The Friends organization, through its volunteer committees, has collaborated with the Capital Projects Division of the Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks to ensure community input in the completed restoration of the Patterson Park Pagoda, the installation of perimeter lighting, and the Boat Lake restoration.

Events in Patterson Park continued to increase in number, variety, and size. Funded through corporate sponsorships and grants, and supported by volunteer efforts, the 2002 events brought thousands of new visitors to the park and helped to improve the image of the park and its neighborhoods city-wide. The Halloween Lantern Parade brought hundreds to the park at night carrying hand-made lanterns created in community workshops. Over 2,000 attended the grand opening of the Pagoda in April. Hundreds walked with the Mayor around the park to celebrate the lighting of the new perimeter lampposts. A new market in the park, an evening concert series, Shakespeare in the Park, and the Baltimore Blues Festival joined BikeJam, the Kinetic Sculpture Race, and the ethnic festivals as annual Patterson Park events.

Volunteers organized by the Friends gave over 5,000 hours of time to the park in 2002, planting 80 new trees, mulching and watering 2001’s new plantings, edging sidewalks, welcoming visitors to the Pagoda as docents, serving on committees, and staffing events. The Friends’ volunteers managed, promoted, and staffed the Pagoda during its first season, welcoming over 9,000 delighted visitors, many returning to the park for first time in many years.

In addition to volunteer contributions, the Friends have raised additional funds for park activities and projects in 2002. This year’s annual giving campaign raised $23,000 in individual gifts. A $100,000 grant to the Friends organization will make possible the restoration of the historic Marble Fountain near the Pagoda. Specific grants to the Friends organization funded a summer safety initiative, a strategic planning process, training for the Friends board, creation of a community tool bank, a maintenance fund for park trees, and the development of exhibits for the Pagoda. A partnership with the Audubon Society provided weekly programs for children in and around the park and a grant through Volunteer Maryland provided a volunteer coordinator for the Friends. Finally, the Friends organization organized a pledge campaign and raised funds for 100 new individually sponsored trash cans for the park, each decorated with the distinctive “I Love Patterson Park” logo.

Contents|Mission|Letter|Belief|Activities|Friends|Advocates|Benefactors|Patrons|Board|Staff