DINNER UNDER THE STARS
28TH ANNUAL DINNER UNDER THE STARS
Thank you to all who joined us for our 28th annual Dinner Under the Stars on September 17, 2024! We were honored to have Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) as our esteemed speakers.
Dinner Under the Stars is FONA’s most important event each year and is held on behalf of the National Arboretum. Thank you to our top sponsors for making this event possible: Bartlett Tree Experts, Bayer, International Paper / American Forest & Paper Association, and Margaret Strand. We also couldn’t host this event without the dedication of our Dinner co-chairs, Martha Van Dale, Chandler Goule, and Anne MacMillan.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2025 Dinner Under the Stars!
Sponsor list as of September 6, 2024
Scarlet Oak $50,000
Robert and Kate Bartlett / Bartlett Tree Experts
Lacebark Pine $10,000
Bayer
International Paper / American Forest & Paper Association
Margaret Strand
Red Maple $5,500
Amazon
Agri-Pulse Communications
CoBank
Congressional Federal Credit Union
Corn Refiners Association
Farm Credit
FGS Global
FMI — The Food Industry Association
International Fresh Produce Association
Invariant / Anne MacMillan
National Association of Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
Nutrien
Platform for Agriculture + Climate Transformation
U.S. Beet Sugar Association
Flowering Cherry $3,500
AmericanHort
American Seed Trade Association
Marcel C. LaFollette and Jeffrey K. Stine
National Association of Conservation Districts
Michael Stevens
Amy A. Titus
Torrey Advisory Group
USA Rice Federation
W.S. Jenks / Becky and Jerry Siegel
Flowering Dogwood $1,200
Dennis & Zandra Chestnut
CropLife America
Elizabeth Dugan
National Capital Area Garden Club
Nzinga Tull
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Dorothy & Kenneth Woodcock
TABLE SPONSORSHIPS
Sponsor a table for friends and colleagues or purchase a single ticket. Tables seat 8-12 people. For table sponsors at the $5,500 level and above, we will happily work with you to seat VIPs. Tickets/sponsorships are tax deductible, less $150 per person.
Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea): Official tree symbol of the District of Columbia. Beautiful native oak with gorgeous “scarlet” fall color. One of several species native to the National Arboretum and part of the National Oak Collection.
- Premium table(s) for 20 guests including VIPs
- Premium visibility: Logo on invitation/signage; name on donor wall, remarks, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
- Opportunity to partner with FONA on a tailored event, custom tour, or activity
- Opportunity to host a corporate dinner/event at Arboretum (discount on space rental)
Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides): Iconic example of the value of plant exploration and conservation. Has gone from living fossil to important landscape tree in a geological blink of an eye! Notable collection by the Gotelli Collection at the National Arboretum.
- Premium table(s) for 20 guests including VIPs
- Premium visibility: Logo on invitation/signage; name on donor wall, remarks, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
- Opportunity to partner with FONA on a tailored event, custom tour, or activity
- Opportunity to host a corporate dinner/event at Arboretum (discount on space rental)
American elm (Ulmus americana): National Arboretum scientists have been involved in elm breeding, genetics, taxonomy, and conservation for over seven decades, releasing dutch elm disease tolerant selections as well as novel hybrids.
- Premium table for total of 10 guests including VIPs
- Premium visibility: Logo on invitation/signage; name on donor wall, remarks, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
- Opportunity to partner with FONA on a tailored event, custom tour, or activity
Lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana): A noble pine from northern China, long cultivated, and reintroduced to American horticulture by USDA plant explorer Frank N. Meyer, whose original collections now reside at the National Arboretum. Lacebark pine is featured at the Arboretum in the Introduction Garden and the Gotelli Collection.
- Premium table for total of 10 guests including VIPs
- Premium visibility: Name on invitation, signage, donor wall, remarks, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
Red maple (Acer rubrum): One of our nation’s most popular native trees, Red maples are found from forests to landscapes, with notable fall color and urban toughness. The USNA released a number of selections from its tree breeding program that are now standard in the nursery trade.
- Table for total of 8 guests including 1 VIP
- Recognition: Name on signage, donor wall, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
Flowering Cherry (Prunus spp.): Collectively, the USDA and USNA have championed the use of flowering cherries for over a century. Although dominated by Japanese selections, species and hybrids also originate from China, Korea, and Japan and, now, breeding programs in the U.S., like our very own.
- Table for 8 guests
- Recognition: Name on signage, donor wall, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus sp.): Flowering dogwoods comprise one of the earliest collections at the USNA dedicated to displaying the breadth and diversity of our native flowering dogwood (C. florida), its close relatives, and the shrubbier members of a highly ornamental genus.
- Two premium tickets
- Recognition: Name on signage, donor wall, other materials
- Invitations to exclusive events throughout the year
Seat for 1 guest at a table.
Tax-deductible donations are always appreciated!
For more information or to purchase a ticket, please contact Cathy (Cathy@fona.org) or Claire Alrich (202-918-1868, calrich@fona.org).
Sponsor list as of September 6, 2024
Scarlet Oak $50,000
Robert and Kate Bartlett / Bartlett Tree Experts
Lacebark Pine $10,000
Bayer
International Paper / American Forest & Paper Association
Margaret Strand
Red Maple $5,500
Amazon
Agri-Pulse Communications
CoBank
Congressional Federal Credit Union
Corn Refiners Association
Farm Credit
FGS Global
FMI — The Food Industry Association
International Fresh Produce Association
Invariant / Anne MacMillan
National Association of Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
Nutrien
Platform for Agriculture + Climate Transformation
U.S. Beet Sugar Association
Flowering Cherry $3,500
AmericanHort
American Seed Trade Association
Marcel C. LaFollette and Jeffrey K. Stine
National Association of Conservation Districts
Michael Stevens
Amy A. Titus
Torrey Advisory Group
USA Rice Federation
W.S. Jenks / Becky and Jerry Siegel
Flowering Dogwood $1,200
Dennis & Zandra Chestnut
CropLife America
Elizabeth Dugan
National Capital Area Garden Club
Nzinga Tull
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Dorothy & Kenneth Woodcock
SPONSOR BENEFITS
FONA’s community is comprised of a strong network of political, business, and social leaders who share a passion for the Arboretum and its mission. Join us for the Dinner and enjoy many benefits, including:
People
Enjoy mixing and mingling with friends, colleagues, and influential VIPs at the Dinner in a unique setting just two miles north of the Capitol.
Visibility
Promote your brand and engage your colleagues, clients, and friends at Dinner Under the Stars and other FONA events and activities throughout the year.
Community Support
Your support enhances FONA’s youth education programs, funds horticultural interns, expands public outreach and education, and so much more.
Great Outdoors
Nestled along the Anacostia River, the Arboretum’s 451 acres and its horticultural collections are available for you to enjoy and explore. Take advantage of all it has to offer, including joining FONA for forest bathing walks, garden tours, receptions, and more.