Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Foundation

Mission Statement | Board of Directors | Committees | Fundraising

Mission Statement
The objective of the Highline Botanical Garden Foundation is to build the community-owned and operated Highline Botanical Garden. The garden will provide to the general public exhibitions,presentations, and education programs on garden art, including but not limited to the culture , selection and arrangement of plants, art for garden settings, creation of garden structures and paths, and the art of recycling as pertinent to gardens.

Foundation Info
The Highline Botanical Garden is wholly owned and operated by the Highline Botanical Garden Foundation. The Foundation is approved as a 501(c)(3) tax deductible charity by the IRS and is incorporated and registered under the State of Washington charitable solicitation laws.

The Foundation was originally formed to save and rebuild Elda Behm's "Paradise Garden", a beloved local residential garden, which was imperiled by the proposed expansion of SeaTac Airport. The project has been expanded to build a full-fledged botanical garden for the Highline community, incorporating Elda's "Paradise Garden" as a central element.

On January 25, 2000 the SeaTac City Council authorized a Joint Operating Agreement with the Foundation to provide a site for the new garden. Subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding was entered into with the Port of Seattle regarding relocation of plant materials from Elda Behm's former home garden to the new Botanical Garden site. With the help of the Port, the City of SeaTac, and over 200 Foundation volunteers, the plants from the Behm garden were relocated during the winter of 2000, and the Highline Botanical Garden held it's grand Opening on August 11, 2002.

The Board of Directors meets monthly on the first Wednesday of each month at the North SeaTac Community Center, located at South 138th and 24th Avenue South in the City of SeaTac.

Board of Directors

Wendy Morgan, President

Wendy has recently retired from a successful career operating her own consulting business and as a grant writer for King County Housing Authority. She is a familiar name in South King County as a former Tukwila City Councilwoman and as past-President of the Tukwila Historical Society.

Lori McCleary, Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair

Lori is a University of Washington graduate with a B.A. in Business Administration, Accounting major. She enjoys gardening in Des Moines.

Luanne Coachman, Counsel

Luanne is a planner/attorney with King County who has worked on Clean Water, Endangered Species, and State Environmental Policy Act programs. She is also the founder and president of the King County Employees' Garden Club. She gardens on Kent's West Hill.

Roger Chouinard, City of SeaTac Representative

Roger is the Parks Operations Manager for the City of SeaTac.

Barbara Purdy, Director

Barbara is a Normandy Park resident and is enjoying her retirement. She loves gardening and riding her bike, and is the current President of the Parkside Garden Club. She believes in the public garden as a benefit to our community.

Elda Behm, Director

Elda's "Paradise Garden" inspired the founding of the Highline Botanical Garden. Elda gardens in the Monroe area.

John Parker, Director, Community Relations Committee Chair

John is a retired business manager and a resident of Normandy Park who describes himself as a long-time hobby gardener. He is very active in our garden, giving group tours and assisting with other special events. John also works with the Rhododendron Species Foundation.

Michael Brown, ASLA, Secretary, Design Committee Chair

Michael has extensive experience both in the U.S. and the Far East as a Landscape Architect; broad knowledge of plants—genus/species. Special skills and interests include hardscape design and in making gardens accessible.

Committees
Members are sought for the following committees

Planning and Design

Michael Brown, ASLA, Chair

Greg Butler

Luanne Coachman

Finance

Lori McCleary, Chair

Membership and Nominating
Members are sought for this committee
Community Relations

John Parker, Chair

Fundraising

Wendy Morgan

Fundraising
This portion of the page is under construction: for information on Fundraising, please contact Pearl McElheran.