Newsdesk of the IPGF
2012-12-20
2012-12-07
INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN
(Bicentennial War of 1812 Peace Garden Trail )
HONORED AS 2012 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT
New GreatNonprofits.org Award is Based on Positive Online Reviews
Rochester, New York , December 4, 2012 – International Peace Garden Foundation announced today that it has been honored with a prestigious 2012 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.
“We are excited to be named a Top-Rated 2012 Nonprofit,” says Paula Savage CEO and Founder of the International Peace Garden. We are proud of our accomplishments this year, including many new Gardens across the New York and Canada, Trail Map, World Harmony Run-Torch Bearer Award, the Award for Overall Excellence, from NYS Vacation and Tourism Assoc. and much more. Visit our Web site at www.ipgf.org
The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that the International Peace Garden Foundation received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People posted their personal experience with the nonprofit. For example, one person wrote, “We have been working with the International Peace Garden Foundation Inc for the past two years. They have been very helpful in getting us started and pushing us to the final dedication of our Peace Garden at the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, Rochester, NY. They have helped us design and save money by researching items for us. We will continue to work with them. They periodically contact us with updates and to see if we need any of their resources. They produced a wonderful War of 1812 Bicentennial Peace Garden Trail map for visitors to follow around the United States and Canada. The people there are the best in the business. .”
Being on the Top-Rated List comes at an important time of the year, as donors look for causes to support during the holiday season.
"We are grateful to The International Peace Garden Foundation for its work,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, "They deserve to be discovered by more donors and volunteers who are looking for a great nonprofit to support."
Being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence that this is a credible organization. The reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit. This award is a form of recognition by the community.
About International Peace Garden
(Bicentennial War of 1812 Peace Garden Trail )
Our Mission :With the ultimate goal to foster world peace, the International Peace Garden Foundation advances global friendship through the creation of Peace Gardens.
Our Values: We believe that tolerance, mutual respect, community service, and volunteerism enable the requirements of a more peaceful society.
Our Priorities: Promoting an atmosphere of open communication and good will between nations. Offering unique opportunities for learning and the promotion of international understanding. Building partnerships with like-minded organizations. Abolish human conflict and wars. Protect our planet and support green awareness. Engage youth participation. Respect for diversity of cultures & human rights and Bridge the world through cultural exchange.
About GreatNonprofits
GreatNonprofits is the leading site for donors and volunteers to find reviews and ratings of nonprofits. Its mission is to inspire and inform donors and volunteers, enable nonprofits to show their impact, and promote greater feedback and transparency. www.greatnonprofits.org
Media Contact
Project Manager: Joyce Lorraine joyce.lorraine@ipgf.org 585-329-3840
2012-07-17
Hilton Peace Garden Dedication
Bicentennial Peace Garden to be dedicated in Hilton
August 11, 2012
War of 1812 Encampment will be the centerpiece for this colorful event to commemorate 200 years of peace between the USA, Great Britain and Canada.
Mayer's Lake Ontario Winery is the site of the Bicentennial Peace Garden located in Hilton, NY. This historic garden is part of a garden trail that identifies historic sites associated with the War of 1812. The trail covers nearly 600 miles in NYS and parts of Ontario, Canada.
The encampment will run through Saturday and Sunday, August, 11th and 12th. Special
activities will include the dedication of the Bicentennial Peace Garden at 2:00 PM Saturday, August, 11th. Local and state officials will be on hand to celebrate this event. Other activities include a military ceremony, 21 gun salute, cannon blast, and Chicken BBQ.
Sunday, August 12, opens with a non-denominational prayer service at 10am, followed by a brunch beginning at 10:30AM. The public is invited to attend all activities. Admission to activities is free. Tickets for the Chicken BBQ and Sunday Brunch can be purchased on site.
The Bicentennial Peace Garden in Hilton located at Mayer's Lake Ontario Winery, is a community garen planted and cared for by volunteers.
Comprehensive printed trail maps are available at no charge. They can be obtained by calling 1-800-622-2686, ext.23. Presently there are 19 Bicentennial Peace Gardens in NYS and 3 in Canada. All Bicentennial Peace Gardens are open and free to the public.
Visit 1812.ipgf.org for detailed information on the garden trail.
This project is under the direction of the International Peace Garden Foundation
www.ipgf.org
-END-
2012-06-18

THE BICENTENNIAL PEACE GARDEN TRAIL
For most of us in Upstate New York, the War of 1812 is a forgotten war, even though many of
its battles were fought in our back yard. This year marks the 200th anniversary of that war, which was started in 1812 and concluded, in a draw, most historians agree, in 1814. It is remembered most for the battle at Fort Henry, in Baltimore, that produced our National Anthem, for the burning of Washington DC, and for the Battle of New Orleans, made famous in song, that was actually fought after the peace treaty had been signed. It is often referred to as the Second War of Independence and led to a lasting peace between the US and Britain and the record-setting 200 years of peace along the longest undefended border in the world between the US and Canada.
So what does this history lesson have to do with gardens, you ask. To answer that question, I have to go back to WW II. Canada gave shelter to the Dutch royal family during that war, and in gratitude, the Dutch sent thousands, perhaps millions, of tulip bulbs to the Canadian people. The annual Tulip Festival in Ottawa is the result, and well worth the trip if you have never seen it. In 1990, a Batavia native, Paula Savage, was working in Washington, promoting the interests of the Canadian government. She had the idea to pass on that gift of gardens from Canada to
the US and worked to get approval to build the first Peace Garden on the grounds of the Washington Monument. It was so well received that people encouraged her to carry on the idea.
Thus began the International Peace Garden Movement. When Poland became the first country to break away from The Soviet Union, Paula , by now the President of the International Peace Garden Foundation, orchestrated the gift of a garden from the people of the US to the people of Poland. As other countries became free and democratic, or promoted peace in some way, the gift was passed on until now there are twenty –two International Peace Gardens, linking countries around the world in peace. The most recent garden was dedicated in Istanbul, Turkey in 2010. And all of this was organized and directed from Batavia, NY!
A few years ago, the Arts Council of Buffalo was looking for ways to commemorate the War of
1812 anniversary and consulted with Paula about the possibility of creating Peace Gardens in the Buffalo area at important sites of battles during the war. She realized that battles had also been fought all along the US/Canadian border, and the idea was born to have a trail of Bicentennial Peace Gardens along the border at sites associated with the war. Municipalities looking for ways to increase tourism jumped on board, volunteers were recruited, and sites were chosen to either build a new garden or repurpose an existing garden.
This year, all of these sites, nineteen in the US and three in Canada, and four new Peace Gardens are being developed in NYS. They will all be dedicated as Bicentennial Peace Gardens. Batavia has one of the first Peace Gardens to be dedicated. That dedication took place on May 6th. In addition to the Batavia garden, the Rochester area has two Peace Gardens, one at the Charlotte Genesee Lighthouse off Lake Avenue, and the other at the Lake Ontario Winery and Vineyards in Hamlin. The Buffalo area has the largest concentration of gardens, ten in all, including such gems as the Japanese Garden at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and a garden in Lewiston. Wayne County has two gardens, and Oswego has the closest garden to the Syracuse area. They are all free and open to the public. The Bicentennial Peace Garden Trail won the Garden Tourism Initiative of the Year from the Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition in 2011 and in Spring of 2012 the Peace Garden Trail Map won the award for Overall General Excellence at
the NYS Tourism Conference. Peace Garden Foundation President, Paula Savage was recently honored at the United Nations with the Torch Bearers Award for her work in fostering world peace.
Information and photos of the gardens are available on the Peace Garden website, 1812.ipgf.org. Trip planning aids that include suggested itineraries, special events, nearby attractions,
accommodations, driving directions and more can be obtained by calling 1-800-622-2686 ext.23 (M-F 8am-4pm EST). Free audio tours are available on your phone by calling 585-201-5079 and dialing the extension for each garden listed on the map. A map of the entire trail is available from the Genesee Chamber of Commerce at the 800 number above. The map is also available through the county tourism offices in Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Wayne, and Oswego counties. A digital version of the map is available on the website of VISITGENESEENY.com or
can be obtained through the following link:
http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/47855.
This is a great way to learn more about the history of this area as it related to this forgotten war and to see beautiful gardens and other sites of interest in a series of day trips. If you have a chance to attend the dedication ceremony in one of the gardens near you, the dates of which are listed on the website, I urge you to do so. It will warm your heart.
2012-05-18
Posted:
Friday, May 18, 2012 1:51 am
CARLTON — Two businesses in Orleans County expect to unveil peace gardens this year in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.
Brown’s Berry Patch on Route 18 in Carlton and U.S. Made Mercantile on Ridge Road in Gaines both expect to have gardens in place this year, honoring 200 years of peace with Canada.
“It’s a nice concept,” said Bob Brown, co-owner of Brown’s Berry Patch. “It will promote the area and hopefully serve as a teaching opportunity.” Brown has a family connection to the war. His ancestor, Bathshua Brown, settled in Point Breeze in 1804 with five sons and seven daughters. She is credited with capturing a British officer along the Oak Orchard River during the war.
Brown is talking with a designer with the International Peace Garden Foundation. He would like to have the garden in place this summer, and wants to include plants that were native to the community 200 years ago.
John and Brenda Hovanesian opened U.S. Made Mercantile opened last November at 14462 Ridge Rd. The store features products that are produced by American companies and also must include ingredients and raw materials from the United States.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum was considering a peace garden, but the museum has backed off that plan, at least for this year, said Dick Anderson, the museum president.
The organization is working on a memorial brick walkway as well as a smaller children’s garden at the complex at the Oak Orchard Harbor. Anderson said the group of volunteers wants to focus on those projects, as well as providing personnel to keep the museum open on Friday evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays. “We thought it would be really nice to do,” Anderson said about the peace garden. “But we just gave up on it.”
The project would have stressed the museum’s finances, and Anderson also worried about the long-term maintenance of a garden that would be on county-owned property.
Batavia on May 6 celebrated the opening of a new peace garden on West Main Street next to the Holland Land Office Museum. There also is a peace garden at Genesee Community College in Batavia. Barb Toal, the Batavia project’s chairwoman, spoke with the Albion Rotary Club on Thursday, and urged the community to build more of the gardens, which she said can beautify an area and draw tourists. She called the Batavia garden, which features 20 flag poles and interpretive panels about the war, “phenomenally gorgeous.”
2012-05-15
Date: May 15, 2012
From: The Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Historical Society
Contact Person: Fred Amato, Publicity/Special Tours & Presentations
Phone: 585-943-2873 (cell)
DEDICATON CEREMONY – HONORARY INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN / WAR OF 1812
DATE: Saturday, June 23, 2012, starting at 2:30 pm
LOCATION: Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, 70 Lighthouse St. (Off Latta Rd.) located behind Holy Cross parking lot.
Rochester, NY – A Dedication of the International Peace Garden / Commemorating the War of 1812 Bicentennial will be held at the new Peace Garden on The Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse grounds at 70 Lighthouse Street, Rochester, NY 14612. The event will be Saturday, June 23, starting at 2:30 p.m. The event is FREE and open to the public.
The Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse is one of twenty-one Bicentennial Peace Gardens on a trail covering the southern shores of Lake Ontario and other historic locations associated with the War of 1812. The trail also extends into Ontario, Canada. Presently, eighteen of these gardens are located in New York State. The Bicentennial Peace Garden Trail is designed to attract international visitors as well as residents of this historic region to experience and enjoy the natural beauty that these gardens provide while commemorating the peace that has existed between Canada and the United States over the past 200 years.
The Dedication Ceremony will include Officers of the International Peace Garden Foundation, Elected Officials, Canadian Officials and business representatives from the community who helped make this garden possible. The event will include the tall ship the Fair Jeanne.
“The planning and construction for the garden started in 2010 with the help of the International Peace Garden Foundation”, stated Fred Amato, Project Coordinator for the Lighthouse.
The Garden consists of four displays, the first describing the invasion of the area on September 11, 1812 by British troops. Each panel describes an historic event linking the Charlotte area to the events of the war. The garden is filled with flowers and flags of the times. The Bicentennial Peace Garden will be a permanent display on the grounds of the lighthouse.
The Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Historical Society’s mission is to preserve and maintain the Genesee Lighthouse Tower(1822), the Keeper's Dwelling (1863), and its historic acreage as an educational center, open to the public, where visitors can learn the story of Charlotte and the City of Rochester's maritime heritage astride Lake Ontario. The Light Station welcomes visitors on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, 1-5 p.m., now through the end of November. For directions or other information, visit www.geneseelighthouse.org.
2012-03-08
BATAVIA — The Paolo Busti Foundation has been named the “Friends of Peace” award recipient for 2012.
Peace Garden Project Manager Barb Toal said it was a natural choice to recognize this group for its commitment to this project and to several other projects in our community.“Just like the Peace Garden committee, the Paolo Busti Board continues to find ways to support our community’s assets,” Toal said. “Through their years of volunteer efforts, the Paolo Busti Board of Directors has nurtured young people’s education through scholarship fundsand education.“That’s exactly what the Peace Garden project intends to do; to educate young and old as to the development of our land and the wondrous resources of Western New York,” Toal said. “This group continues to promote Peace in our community.”Former Congressman Barber Conable was the recipient of the first Friends of Peace award in 2011. Conable was chosen because of his insight and dedication to the betterment of our community and unselfish efforts to move forward in a positive direction.Paolo Busti was the principal agent of the Holland Land Company from 1800 until 1824. He established the Holland Land Company in Batavia. Joseph Ellicott worked for him as one of his surveyors of the Western New York region.“It is fitting to recognize Mr. Busti in this way,” said Paula Savage, president of the International Peace Garden Foundation. “Acres and acres of land were surveyed under his leadership, and the local Paolo Busti Foundation continues to positively promote his legacy.”The Paolo Busti Foundation was also the first local organization to welcome the Peace Garden Project, and make a commitment to purchase a flag.“Their Board of Directors was incredibly supportive of this project when we needed it the most,” said Marilyn Werner, fundraiser for the Friends of Batavia Peace Garden. “They gave us the boost we needed, on a snowy winter night, and it just took off after that. From the research I’ve done, I believe Mr. Paolo Busti would be very proud to promote this project and the Genesee Region.”“Celebration of Peace” dinner is set for April 28 at Terry Hills Restaurant in Batavia. U.S. Rep. Kathy Hochul is the featured speaker and will honor the Paolo Busti Foundation for its community dedication and speak on the value of volunteerism. Genesee County Legislator Frank C. Ferrando will host as master of ceremonies.Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce or by telephoning Barb Toal at (585) 344-2458.
Posted in News on Thursday, March 8, 2012 12:57 am
2011-12-26

Five New York State Regional Tourism Offices in collaboration with the International
Peace Garden Foundation unveiled a NEW Trail Map today pinpointing seventeen
historical sites across the state and three in Ontario, Canada. The gardens commemorate 200 years of peace between Canada and the US and will be permanent sites.
The full color map identifies specific locations of each Peace Garden along with their
historic significance. Each region highlights major attractions that complement
visits to the gardens. Collaborating county tourism offices include Niagara, Erie, Genesee,
Monroe, Wayne and Oswego.
The map is fully integrated with social media and contains a QR code that takes the
visitor to the dedicated web site for the trail 1812.ipgf.org. There the visitor will find dedicated pages for each Peace Garden highlighting special events, area attractions, images, navigation directions and much more. The trail map is also available on line at the official web site.
A special audio component allows visitors to dial in at any point to obtain more detailed
information on each site. Many of the sites will display interpretive story boards.
All gardens are scheduled to be in bloom by Spring of 2012 and will bloom annually May through October. They are open to the public with free admission.
Special arrangements can be made for group arrivals by calling in advance.
Contact: Kelly Rapone
krapone@geneseeny.com800-622-2686
2011-08-02
 | | Nellie Gardner |
| | IPGF is pleased to announce that Nellie Gardner has joined our team of professionals as our Resident Garden Authority. Nellie is a graduate of Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Science. She is owner and manager of Flower Fields, a reestablished cut flower farm in Spencerport, NY. As a Professional Agricultural Consultant, Nellie consults in speciality garden design including wildflower gardens, perennial, annual and cut flower, educational gardens and children's gardens.
|
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2011-02-23
Donna Lopez is the Director of Education for the International Peace Garden Foundation. Donna’s education credentials are extensive. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the Foundations efforts to focus on our international youth education and cultural exchange activities.
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2010-11-28
The International Peace Garden Foundation is pleased to announce that Emin Cakmak is the newly appointed Director of International Affairs for the Foundation. Based in Istanbul, Turkey, Cakmak will serve as coordinator for the Foundations international activities primarily concerning Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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2010-03-18

Paula Savage, President of the International Peace Garden foundation announced plans today for Istanbul, Turkey to become the site of the 2010 International Peace Garden. The dedication is scheduled to take place on April 22, 2010 and will coincide with ASTA’s International Tourism Expo.
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2010-03-10
Modeled on the International Peace Garden concept that originated in Canada in 1990, a trail of Peace Gardens is being planned along the historic route where events of the War determined the future of Canada, the United States and the fate of many First Nations and Native American people.
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2007-04-01
The 2007 International Peace Garden will be dedicated in Bern, Switzerland during a gala ceremony hosted by Mayor Alexander Tschappat on Thursday, May 3rd,2007.
During the 2006 Peace Garden Dedication in Dublin, Ireland Bern was nominated by then Lord Mayor Catharine Byrne.
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2006-04-01
The 2006 International Peace Garden will be dedicated in Dublin, Ireland during a gala ceremony hosted by the Lord Mayor Cllr. Catherine Byrne on Wednesday, April 26th, 2006. Festivities will include a special performance by RTE' Co'r na nO'g, a youth choir praised for their recordings and their many opera and theatre appearances throughout Ireland.
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2005-04-02
Having grown up in a military family, Ria has traveled the world from a very early age. Ria is a graduate of Virginia Wesleyan Collage and received her masters in Education from University of Virginia. Ria has spent most of her professional career in the hospitality industry. The last fifteen years have been with Marriott International. Presently, Ria is a Regional Trainer for Marriott Hotels based in the UK. Her affiliation to the International Peace Gardens started over ten years ago when she was a member of the delegation to plant the International Peace Garden in Pretoria, South Africa. Ria joined the International Peace Garden Foundation as a director in the Spring of 2005.
2003-10-14

Washington, DC – The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center will dedicate the first Children’s International Peace Garden October 27, 2003 at 11 a.m. The children’s peace garden is one of several Cultural Center events honoring Pope John Paul II during the Silver Jubilee of his extraordinary pontificate.
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2003-09-01
September 1, 2003 - The most recent International Peace Garden will be dedicated in San Jose, Costa Rica on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003. The date was chosen to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, sending a fragrant and colorful message that world peace is every person’s right and responsibility.
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2003-04-03
Washington, DC-April 3rd, 2003. The 2003 International Peace Garden will be dedicated in Rome, Italy in front of the Coliseum during a gala ceremony hosted by Mayor Veltroni on Friday, April 4th, 2003.
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2002-05-10
Canada's Capital Region - The National Capital Commission (NCC), along with its partners and the Canadian Tulip Festival, had the honor of welcoming Her Royal Highness, Princess Margriet from the Netherlands at the Canada and the World Pavilion for the unveiling of the International Peace Garden.
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2002-04-22
Washington, DC—April 22, 2002. The 2002 International Peace Garden will be dedicated in Vienna, Austria at City Hall during a gala ceremony hosted by Mayor Michael Haulp on Monday, April 29. Austria is being honored for its commitment to promoting peace among nations and democracy for their peoples. The dedication, with reception to follow, will be attended by city officials, members of the diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests.
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2001-03-07
March 7, 2001, Washington, DC.— The city of Hiroshima was nominated to receive the next International Peace Garden by The Hague for the following reasons.
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2000-01-15

January 15, 2001 - Washington, DC—Paula Savage, founder and President, accepted the prestigious Award for The Merits of Two Worlds on behalf of the International Peace Garden Foundation, on November 20th, 2000 in Rochester, NY. The award, also known as the Robert Schuman Medal, was given by the Robert Schuman Institute, an organization created by the European Parliament in honor of the statesman who’s mission was to assemble the countries of Europe for the development of cultural, economic and social unity and peaceful relations in the global community.
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1990-01-01
1990-01-01