Organizations

Collection for organization entities.


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Beaux Arts Club (Grand Junction, Colorado)
A group of artists that met at the Manhattan Cafe (located on the grounds of what is now the US Bank building) in the 1920's. The Group included Harold Bryant, Esther Reed, D.D. Sims, Alfred Nestler, and Archie Bliss. They disbanded during the Great Depression.
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Originally organized as Vail Alpine Garden in June 1985, the Vail botanical garden was renamed Betty Ford Alpine Gardens (BFAG) in March 1988. BFAG is located in Gerald R. Ford Park adjacent to the Vail Nature Center and Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. The 1986 founding board of directors included: president Helen Fritch, vice-president Kathy Borgen, secretary Cliff Simonton, treasurer Jim Stephenson, and directors Ed Drager, Lynn Glenn Freedman, Joyce Gedelman, Don Hagan, Don Simonton and June Simonton. Marty Jones of Planters of Vail was the first director and original gardens designer. Subsequent directors included: Sammye Meadows (1994-1997), Elizabeth Robechek (1997-1998), Ry Southard (1999-2002), Jim Brandmeyer (2004-2006) and Ann Kurronen (2007-2011). The current BFAG Executive Director (2011 to date) is Nicola Ripley, M.S. For many years, Ripley was the BFAG Director of Horticulture. In 2015, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens Education Center was established in Ford Park; Nanette Kuich, M.S. serves as BFAG Education Director. Besides Ripley and Kuich, current (2023) BFAG key personnel includes: Melissa Ebone - Development Director, Ellen Lorenz - Operations Manager, Nick Courtens - Curator of Plant Collections, Colin Lee - Senior Horticulturalist/Botanist, Emily Griffoul - Conservation Scientist, Jeri Powles - Volunteer Engagement Coordinator and Susan Swimm - Gift Shop Manager. BFAG often partners with Denver Botanic Gardens for alpine ecology research projects and various floristic programs. BFAG is a leader in North American alpine conservation and horticulture, as well as acclaimed among the international community in garden design creativity, native plant study, rare plant conservation, plant science education and botanical research.

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