Baker Creative 20th Anniversary
May 7, 2008
Dina Wolfman Baker – Remarks
If not for the optimism (or perhaps folly) of the young, we would not be celebrating this evening. Twenty years ago, Brad and I were out of college 5 years, had been married 3 years and had owned our first home less than 2 years; our first child was less than 1 year old, and I was freelancing part-time. We decided it was a perfectly reasonable idea for Brad to quit his job that provided our only predictable, steady income and start his own business in landscape design, installation and pruning.
Apparently it was reasonable! Over the 20 years since:
- We have worked with 5,000 properties – for which we thank every one of you who has let us become a part of your personal vision for your property. We consider it a privilege to develop the intimate relationship of designing your landscape and being welcomed to your home to install and maintain it.
- We have won 7 awards from PLNA (PA Landscape & Nursery Association) since we began submitting entries in 2004. In 2007, that included 2 gold and 1 silver – considered the pinnacle of design in the Commonwealth.
- We were invited to participate in the Philadelphia Flower Show beginning last year. In 2007 we won awards for daily maintenance and paths & walkways. And in 2008 we earned the prestigious gold medal for design in our class.
- We also have had opportunities to give to our community: supporting numerous nonprofit organizations through gift certificates to auctions; being the lead sponsor of the golf classic for our synagogue, Beth Sholom Congregation, and providing landscape design and counsel for its historic Frank Lloyd Wright building; designing, leading installation and teaching through mitzvah gardens at Mary Bert Gutman Early Learning Center and Beth Sholom Congregation; and now developing elementary to middle school curriculum and forming partnerships with schools to implement it – combating “nature deficit disorder.” And this evening, to thank you for being here tonight and supporting us over the years, in honor of each one of you we are making a contribution to Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation – an organization on whose Board I serve, and an Affiliate of the nonprofit public health institute Philadelphia Health Management Corporation for which I lead marketing & communications. Linda Creed, which engages in education, access, financial assistance and advocacy, vows to be there until breast cancer is not. With us tonight is Donna Duncan, Linda Creed’s executive director.
I also want to recognize our other partners in this event – and in our success:
- Phase II Designs, extraordinarily talented architects & interior designers led by Jay Leistner.
- Twist Communications, the fabulous marketing communications company that has developed our great look – Fred Yavorsky is here.
- The Abington Club, a true member of the community for health and wellness – with whom we co-habit, using 3 acres on the grounds and office space in the main building. Kelly Feite and Mark Cole are here.
- Kim Sokoloff Photography, the excellent professional photographer who documents our beautiful work. Terry Sokoloff, his wife, is representing him this evening.
- Finally, Lifestyle Magazine, the high-end Delaware Valley consumer publication that has helped us reach our target audience and has partnered with us in putting together tonight’s event – our account representative and event planner Kate Frey, and the magazine’s publisher John Hirth, are with us.
Now that you have a little history about how we got here and who has helped along the way, I’d like to ask Brad – the visionary behind Baker Creative – to talk briefly about what’s yet to come.
Brad's Remarks
