This article is from March of 2012. We are so happy to see that Arlington Garden continues to grow and is one of the loveliest places in town!
Just off a busy thoroughfare in southwest Pasadena sits a verdant oasis known as Arlington Garden. (arlingtongardenpasadena.com) Open to the public during daylight hours, it features gently winding paths, a classic labyrinth and lush “garden rooms” furnished with benches that invite peaceful contemplation. In late winter, the air is filled with the intoxicating scent of citrus blossoms, and signs encourage visitors to sample one of the luscious navel oranges from a small orchard at the eastern edge of the garden.
Recently, Jericho Road Pasadena helped match the nonprofit that oversees this urban sanctuary with Judy, a seasoned financial expert and regular garden visitor, who is volunteering her time and acumen to help secure Arlington Garden’s future.
Founders Betty and Charles McKenney began building Pasadena’s only dedicated public garden in 2003 on a three-acre lot that had sat vacant for the previous 40 years. Since then, with help from Pasadena Water & Power, the City of Pasadena, and many others, Arlington Garden has blossomed into an impeccably maintained horticultural haven featuring nearly 400 trees and thousands of Mediterranean-climate plants.
As heads of the 501c3 organization that maintains and develops the garden, the McKenneys realized their green thumbs did not extend to the financial realm. So they turned to Jericho Road Pasadena in seeking out a volunteer with the passion and know-how to help them get their financial house in order. Recently retired from Avery Dennison after a career in the Treasury Department, she jumped at the chance to use her expertise in service to the garden she loves. “The whole community feels grateful for what the McKenneys have done,” she says.
Diving into the task at hand, Judy analyzed Arlington Garden’s financial records and quickly recognized the organization needed to develop more robust accounting documents and procedures. One of the garden’s goals is to purchase the land it occupies from Caltrans and having strong financial documents will be essential to achieving that objective. Judy is currently in discussions with area accounting firms about creating an audited financial statement. For the Pasadena resident, it’s a chance to use the skills she has developed through a lifetime of professional experience to help one of her favorite gardens prosper and grow.
Thanks to volunteer Andrew Hindes for writing this article and to volunteer photographer Ned Racine for the accompanying photograph! Andrew is president of LA-based marketing and PR copywriting firm The In-House Writer. The company helps organizations of all sizes communicate more effectively with customers, investors, employees and the media.