by C. Eliana Brown, RORG Director
Did you know that RORG is beneficial for its red oak tree? Before the rain garden was installed, the oak had “wet feet” during storms, preventing this magnificent tree from thriving. People passing through also used to experience wet feet when rainwater flooded the sidewalk. In fact, there was a time before RORG when the floodwaters rose so high that it seeped into the windows of neighboring Allen Hall, damaging equipment in the basement!
After: a biodiverse and functional campus landscape!
With the installation of the rain garden, all that water has a place to go now, significantly enhancing the area’s functionality and aesthetics. Additionally, RORG has had a profound impact on our students’ lives. Many have shared how much they appreciate the garden and how it enhances their campus experience. One student remarked, “This amazing green space is why I chose to live on this side of campus. Nowhere else has this amount of natural beauty.” Before the garden, students had to travel miles away to see green stormwater infrastructure. Now, they can enjoy its benefits right here on campus and participate in hands-on learning that truly transforms their futures.
As a grant and donation funded project, our vision was to honor the great many people who come together to support this project. We do this by providing exemplary stormwater management, creating local service learning opportunities for community volunteers and students, and delivering educational resources state-wide. We continually strive to make this a better place and invite you to take this opportunity to do the same!
On December 3, we’ll join millions around the world by participating in the GivingTuesday global generosity movement and invite you to get involved. We celebrate this event with an initiative to support our ongoing effort to grow the RORG Maintenance Endowment.
“Stewardship makes or breaks a rain garden.”
Ongoing maintenance is vital to the success of rain gardens, and without it, the expansion of other ecological landscapes can be at risk. As one of our colleagues aptly said during a recent meeting, “Stewardship makes or breaks a rain garden”. At RORG, we’re fortunate to have the incredible support of our volunteers, the Red Oak Rain Guardians, as well as a strong partnership with the university’s Facilities & Services Grounds department, who complement our volunteer efforts. However, some maintenance tasks extend beyond the scope of their regular responsibilities and require additional funding. To ensure that these efforts are sustainable, Extension has established a maintenance endowment, creating a reliable funding source that addresses the challenges of long-term stewardship. We’re proud to report that we’re nearly halfway to our funding goal of $75,000! You can make a difference this giving season with your tax-deductible contribution, ensuring that RORG continues to be a vibrant resource for years to come.
“The Red Oak Rain Garden is a hidden gem on campus! I love seeing the differences as the seasons change, because it always looks amazing!”
At the Red Oak Rain Garden, we cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders. Your support helps sustain this unique space—the first living, learning laboratory on campus—demonstrating that flood control can be both functional and beautiful while also supporting pollinators and wildlife. Passersby often remark, “The Red Oak Rain Garden is a hidden gem on campus! I love seeing the changes as the seasons change, it always looks amazing!”
Thank you for considering a gift that ensures the continued vitality and impact of this special place.
Each of us has a deep reserve of generosity, which we can deploy in myriad ways to make a difference. Your time, your kindness, your skills, and your voice are all things you can give in addition to charitable donations on GivingTuesday. If you’re in a position to make a financial contribution, follow the steps below.
Here is how you can get ready to give:
- Mark your calendar. GivingTuesday is December 3!
- Give. Visit Extension’s Opportunity for Investment page and select “Red Oak Rain Garden” as the specific program. If you have any questions, contact me or Scott Burnsmier.
- Spread the word. Encourage your friends and family to join you in creating a real impact by sharing what our mission means to you and why you support our organization. Make sure to use the hashtag #GivingTuesday and tag us so we can share!
For more details about the GivingTuesday movement, visit the GivingTuesday website, Facebook page, or X account. Join the Red Oak Rain Garden’s initiative this GivingTuesday by visiting extension.illinois.edu/giftpage.
About the Red Oak Rain Garden
The Red Oak Rain Garden soaks up rainwater, enhances the campus and community aesthetic and educational experience, and promotes well-being for everyone who visits.
As part of Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Red Oak Rain Garden Team believes in providing excellence in educational programming and providing accessible programs that help people solve problems. The rain garden does both! The Team creates service-learning opportunities for students and community volunteers and inspires visitors to find out how they can create healthier landscapes where they live.
About GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past ten years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give. GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity around the globe.
Red Oak Rain Garden 
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