Garden Club of Virginia Bestows Prestigious Award to the Foundation

Garden Club of Virginia Bestows the Prestigious “Common Wealth Award” to the Virginia War Memorial Foundation

On October 18th, the Garden Club of Virginia awarded the 2023 Common Wealth Award to the Virginia War Memorial Foundation for our Public Green Space Project.

This prestigious and historic recognition dates to the Garden Club’s Annual Meeting in May 1979 when the Club first voted to provide an annual grant to promote projects in the interest of conservation, beautification, horticulture, preservation and education in Virginia.

The two-word name Common Wealth was chosen to describe the “wealth” that is “common” to all Virginians.

The nearly 12,000 names etched on the Shrine of Memory represent sons and daughters from every city, county, and town across the Commonwealth.

Our Public Green Space Project was nominated by the four Richmond-based Virginia Garden Clubs: the Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton, the Boxwood Garden Club, the James River Garden Club, and the Three Chopt Garden Club. Then the Project voted on by each of the 48 garden clubs across the State a their annual meeting this fall.

The award provides the Foundation with $20,000 to help execute the ambitious landscaping plans for the five acres of Memorial grounds and sets the pace for our Capstone Challenge Campaign to reach the $1 Million fundraising goal.

Additionally, the Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton is donating another $7,500 toward the Capstone Challenge for the purchase of five large White Oak trees to create the “Gold Star Oak Grove.”

RoseMarie Bundy, member of the Tuckahoe Garden Club and one of the leaders of the Public Green Space Project Committee reported the donation and said it is part of the Club’s Centennial Service Project.

“We make this gift to honor Gold Star Families, an honor no one should bear.,” Bundy said. “The White Oak is a symbol of peace and serenity and we hope the Gold Star Oak Grove at the Virginia War Memorial will serve as a calm place for reflection.”

Detailed plans for the Public Green Space Project can be seen HERE. You may also view the award-winning short film describing the project there and on the VWMF’s YouTube Channel.