families converge at botanic park”
[Funds raised aimed at completing new Children’s Garden]

[North Side, Grand Cayman, January 23, 2019 – The Garden Club of Grand Cayman and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park hosted the fifth annual Family Fun Day at the Park, on Sunday 20th January garnering a crowd of over 1,000 visitors.

Children, parents and grandparents all attended the event, originally developed to encourage residents to visit and experience all the national attraction has to offer, and this year was no different. Folks of all ages were entertained by local musicians, face painting, lawn games and the littlest of plant enthusiasts found their excitement with a balloon twisting clown, crafts and a magician.

The highlight of the day was the several appearances of the Blue Iguanas who wandered through the lawn as if they were there to enjoy the festivities themselves.  

The Garden Club is pleased to note the $3,000.00 raised from this year’s event will go toward the continued development of the new Children’s Garden.

The Family Fun Day was a success in showcasing the surrounding gardens all the while allowing for families to spend the day exploring, learning and creating! Patrons were taught how to create floral arrangements and to successfully transplant a small plant before taking it home.

“It was wonderful to see so many families at this event, interacting with nature and learning about their environment in a holistic way,” said John Lawrus, General Manager, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.

“We extend a big thanks to the National Trust of the Cayman Islands for providing Blue Iguana facility tours and an information booth. I also want to thank the Department of Environment and the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) for showcasing what they do and the importance of their roles in the Cayman Islands.”

Mr. Lawrus expressed appreciation to all who assisted in ensuring the event was a success. “We are indebted to the Garden Club of the Cayman Islands for greatly assisting with this event every year. They organized volunteers, a bake sale, raffle, arts and crafts, flower arranging tutorials, face painting and so much more, and continue to do so tirelessly,” he said.
Other entities who offered up their talents included Kids Care Cayman Islands and Montessori by the Sea who provided student volunteers to assist at the craft table headed up by Michelle Dubin. Eden Hurlstone and Glenn Scott of One World Entertainment offered up their talents to entertain the crowd at the lawn while at the Visitors Centre, Isadora Ferrao kept little ones engaged through well known kiddie songs.

“To all our supporters, musicians, parents and volunteers, thank you for sharing your day with us and together enjoying nature’s bounty at the Botanic Park. We look forward to our next event held in partnership with the Cayman Islands Orchid Society, our annual Orchid Show and sale on March 30th and 31st March,” added Mr. Lawrus.

The Garden Club is thrilled to be able to assist in fundraising for the new Children’s Garden which will introduce, educate and excite children in the area of horticulture and our environment for generations to come.

“This year’s Family Fun Day was deeply fulfilling, as we witnessed families appreciating the activities planned for them to enjoy, our minds drifted to thoughts of what it would be like to host this event next year with a fully functioning purpose-built Children’s Garden,” explained Jill Wood, former President the Garden Club of Grand Cayman.

“There was something for everyone, we are pleased to be a part of history in the making and I wish to thank our dedicated volunteers and club members for their time and hard work,” she added.

The Family Fun Day held at the Botanic Park is unlike any other event. There is so much to see and enjoy and so much fun to be had with the various activities set for family interaction and interaction with nature.

“Unique to this event is a children’s feel, touch and learn Nature Table, which showcases an array of deceased insects, nests and skeletons. It truly is a wonderful event because we know children are learning about the world around them; learning to appreciate it and protect it,” said Mrs. Wood.

Photos credit Martin Freifield.

More about the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, an attraction managed by the Tourism Attraction Board, is open Monday to Sunday from 9:00AM to 4:30PM. Boasting over 62 acres of lush landscape, the Park is home to an abundance of wildlife including many of the islands’ 56 species of butterfly, native birds, the Cayman Parrot and the endangered Cayman Blue Iguana. With multiple floral gardens, woodland trails, wetlands, a lake and over 60 species of palm trees, there is so much to do and see at the Botanic Park.
The Park which was originally designed to show and preserve the Cayman Islands’ native flora and fauna – as well as to promote education, conservation and recreation – now has over 30,000 visitors each year, many of whom come to enjoy the tranquility, culture and natural beauty that abounds in this hidden treasure. The Heritage Garden is a beautiful celebration of the islands and the traditional Caymanian way of life.
The Botanic Park offers resident rates of CI$5 for adults, and free admission for children under 12, and seniors over 60.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Mr. John Lawrus on 947-9462, email [email protected] or check out the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park Facebook Page.

More about The Garden Club of Grand Cayman
The members of the Garden Club regularly meet on the first Thursday of each month, at different venues. Light refreshments are provided following a short tour of the garden or facility at which they are meeting.
New members are always welcomed, and one does not need to have a garden to join! There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and assist with a wide variety of national projects the club undertakes.
Previous projects have included landscaping of the gardens at The Pines Retirement Home, Cayman Islands Museum, National Gallery, UCCI, Francis Bodden Girls Home, The Boy Scout Headquarters, Bonaventure Boys Home. The club most recently provided four private room gardens at Jasmine -the new hospice facility.
For more information contact Ora Hollebon at [email protected]