Updated: As if there’s not enough on our civic must-support list, the Bloedel Reserve is coming up short to the tune of $200,000 a year, according to a Puget Sound Business Journal story posted last week.
This 150-acre nature reserve, formerly the home of Prentice and Virginia Bloedel, has soothed many a Bainbridge soul with its gardens, wildlife and nature walks. For years it has maintained a genteel distance from clamoring tourists, open only to those with reservations–no pets or eating allowed.
As Bloedel Executive Director Dick Brown explains in his comment below, the Bloedel’s endowment is in good shape. But they need an extra $200,000 each year in order to pay for needed maintainance and improvements. Brown has sent out an appeal to donors for the additional financial support.
If you’re like me, your Bloedel membership renewal card has been floating around in your kitchen mail pile since last summer. Get it out and renew! You can also click here for online registration. Consider making a larger donation while you’re at it. The Reserve is open space, wildlife habitat, community treasure, kids’ outdoor education, and Zen meditation rolled into one. And at least for now, we don’t have to beg our City Council to save it from becoming a high end development.

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