A MORRIS ARBORETUM STORY: Barbados, Beer, Battleships, and Beech

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting Program of the Friends of the William Jeanes Memorial Library.

An Evening honoring long-time Friends Board Member and Past-President Irwin ‘Irv’ Leventhal

PRESENTATION: A Morris Arboretum Story: Barbados, Beer, Battleships and Beech

Featuring Guest Speaker Robert Gutowski of the Morris Arboretum of University of Pennsylvania

Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 7:00pm

There are many Morris Arboretum stories involving place, collections, plant science, art, history, conservation, nature and personal experiences. This story grew from visitors asking: “Where did John’s and Lydia’s wealth come from?” The answer spans the Atlantic Ocean and seven generations of the Morris family with local and global history connections over 250 years. One story line is based on values, core among them is stewardship.

Bob Gutowski is Director of Education, Visitor Experience and Urban Forestry at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania where he has worked for over 30 years, beginning as a Gardener Trainee in 1979. Among his current activities he oversees the Arboretum’s archives and history programs. He frequently lectures, photographs, publishes and guides for the Morris Arboretum and elsewhere. Local history, the Springfield Mills restoration, photography, gardening – especially historic Iris – and natural history are among his more public passions.

Bob spent most of his life tending to the public face of Morris Arboretum. This video from 2012 will give you a feel for Bob’s public persona and some of his contributions to this world renown garden spot north of Philadelphia. CLICK HERE to view video to meet Bob Gutowski, Director of Programs at the Morris Arboretum, and learn about what he wishes more people knew about in Philadelphia.

This event is free and open to the public, and will follow the brief Annual Meeting of the Friends organization.

Refreshments will be served following the program.

The program will take place in the Willaman Community Commons on the library’s lower level.

The William Jeanes Memorial Library and Nicholas and Athena Karabots Center for Learning, which serves as the public library for Whitemarsh Township, is located at 4051 Joshua Road in Lafayette Hill, PA.