Receives 2005 Leffingwell Award for her work
By Meliqueica Meadows
For the St. Louis American
Forest Park Forever supporters turned out en masse last Wednesday to honor a St. Louis legend. More than 1,100 women n and a few men, including Mayor Francis Slay n were on hand at the World’s Fair Pavilion as Kathryn Nelson accepted the 2005 Hiram W. Leffingwell Award, presented by the Women’s Committee of Forest Park Forever.
James F. Mann, president of Forest Park Forever, presented Nelson with the award, which is given annually to the individual, group or corporation that most embodies the spirit of Hiram W. Leffingwell, an original founder of Forest Park in 1876. The award recognizes those who have made considerable contributions to the restoration and maintenance of the park and its many educational programs.
“The improvements that we enjoy today in Forest Park are due in large part to Kathryn Nelson,” Mann said.
“As co-chair (with Parks Director Gary Bess) of the Master Plan Committee, Kathryn spent two years in countless meetings gathering numerous divergent opinions that became the plan for the restoration of the park. Only with Kathryn’s steady influence, political savvy, and high regard and respect for everyone in the process, a logical cohesive plan emerged.”
For more than eight years, Nelson has served on the Forest Park Forever board and co-chaired the two-year master planning process for the restoration of the park. The goal of the master plan was to integrate both the natural and manufactured amenities of Forest Park into one cohesive experience. The City of St. Louis officially adopted the master plan in 1995.
“I was very excited and very humbled, because this is a group affair,” Nelson said of her work on the committee and receiving the Leffingwell Award.
“There are so many people involved, and I really appreciate being recognized, but I appreciate more their work being recognized, because without them it wouldn’t have been anything. For all the people who followed along afterwards and raised the money and made this possible, I just want to thank them.”
As a member of the board for the past eight years, Nelson has served as chair of the Education Committee and used her position to help create the Voyage of Learning Teacher’s Academy. In its fifth year, the academy gives more than 100 teachers the skills and resources necessary to use Forest Park as an outdoor classroom and learning experience for students.
“This is one of the first places my husband brought me when we were married, and he said to me, ‘You’ll love this park,'” Nelson remembered.
“He drove me around and around, and I suddenly realized that I was passing the same things twice and he was lost. It wasn’t that the park was that big, but that he didn’t know his way home. So it’s where I got my start.”
Since then, Nelson has worked tirelessly to ensure that the park continues to thrive.
She holds an honorary doctorate from Saint Louis University, and throughout her career has been an advocate for St. Louis children. Before retiring, Nelson worked as a teacher, social worker and program director for the Danforth Foundation. She is a former recipient of a St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Education award.
“She inspires those who have the privilege to work with her to do more, to do it better and to do it with more respect for all,” Mann said.
KSDK News Channel 5 anchor Karen Foss served as mistress of ceremonies for the sold-out luncheon. She said, “Kathryn is on my short list of St. Louis heroes.”
Proceeds from the annual luncheon support maintenance of park structures and educational programs, like the one Nelson helped implement five years ago. Luncheon co-chairs Gwendolyn Packnett and Erin Runnels announced that this year alone the Women’s Committee has raised $300,000 to support the park and its educational programs.
Founded in 1986, Forest Park Forever works to improve the physical aspects as well as the educational programs of the park, which receives nearly twelve million visitors annually.
Hiram W. Leffingwell was instrumental in creating Forest Park over 130 years ago, and Nelson’s work has helped to further his vision for the park as the crown jewel of the City of St. Louis.
