On Friday, October 2, 2015, Forest Park Forever was honored to gather hundreds of the region’s greatest Park advocates and civic champions to mark the formal introduction of Forever: The Campaign for Forest Park’s Future. Following cocktails at the Emerson Grand Basin, guests enjoyed a program featuring Forest Park Forever President and Executive Director Lesley S. Hoffarth, P.E., Mayor Francis G. Slay, Board Chair Thomas R. Collins, Enterprise Holdings Foundation President Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Campaign Chair John H. Ferring IV.
The program concluded with the debut viewing of an inspiring new campaign film and the announcement that we had raised $116.9 million toward our $130 million goal. Guests closed out the fall evening dancing under the stars and discussing what brought them all together: their love of Forest Park.
Heard From the Podium
“Forest Park has once again become a source of pride for our city. It is the first place we want to bring our out-of-town guests. It is where we want to spend our best days.”
“Great cities need great parks where every visitor feels welcome. This is true the world over, and it’s an area where St. Louis is blessed to have one of the best parks in the world.”
“Forest Park must remain a defining factor in helping the entire St. Louis region attract and retain a vibrant community of leaders, creative people and thinkers to sustain our common cultural and economic future.”
“We are so proud to see how far Forest Park has come. It is a beacon — a regional gem of national renown.”