rayson Subaru To Present Largest Check To-Date to Ijams Nature Center
The public is invited to join Ijams Nature Center and Grayson Subaru in celebrating the success of the 2018 Subaru Share the Love event on Monday, April 22, at 10 a.m. during a check presentation and reception at the Ijams Nature Center Visitor Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. in Knoxville.
Grayson Subaru officials will present Ijams Executive Director Amber Parker with the donation, which breaks last year’s record as the largest amount to-date presented by Grayson Subaru to a local hometown charity.
“This gift is possible because Grayson Subaru customers have again shown their love not only for Subaru vehicles but also for Ijams Nature Center,” said Randy Carter, Grayson Subaru sales manager. “Subaru of America’s Share the Love Event makes a difference on both the national and local level. It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to give back to an organization in our community in such a significant way.”
The Subaru Share the Love event ran Nov. 15, 2018, through Jan. 2, 2019. Subaru of America, Inc. donated $250 for each new Subaru purchased or leased to the customer’s choice of several charities. Grayson Subaru customers could choose to designate donations to Ijams or one of the following charities: ASPCA, Make-A-Wish, Meals on Wheels America and National Park Foundation.
In celebration of the campaign’s 11th anniversary and the automaker’s 50th anniversary in the United States, Subaru did not place a cap on total contributions to its Share the Love charitable partners for the second consecutive year.
Since the Share the Love Event began, Subaru of America and its retailers have donated more than $140 million to national charities and more than 1,170 hometown charities.
Ijams plans to use the donation to assist in cleaning up and restoring the Grayson Subaru Preserve, a 13.46-acre site that will ultimately feature footpaths, natural play elements for children and observation areas for parents that will allow them to watch their children but not inhibit their nature free play. The site also will be a place for citizen science and other Ijams education programs.
In January 2019, Ijams contracted with Invasive Plant Control, a company based in Nashville, Tenn., to conduct a mass removal of invasive species on three acres of the property running along Island Home Avenue between McClure and Harold Lanes. Volunteers removed about 100 pounds of trash and 29 tires from the property during the 30th annual Ijams River Rescue presented by TVA with support from Lowe’s on April 6.
“Ijams is so grateful to be Grayson Subaru’s hometown charity,” Parker said. “It means a great deal to have partners that believe in and support Ijams’ mission, and it’s incredible to know that the people Ijams serves feel the same way.”
Ijams Nature Center is a nonprofit, 315-acre educational nature center for all ages, abilities and walks of life. Ijams’ mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences. Located just three miles from downtown Knoxville, Ijams features 12 miles of hiking and mixed-use trails, a public access river dock, swimming, boating, biking and more. The center offers hundreds of educational programs annually, from school field trips and off-site programs to on-site outdoor and classroom education programs that focus on topics from birding and wildflowers to yoga hikes, cooking classes and art programs. The Ijams grounds and trails are open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Ijams.org or call 865-577-4717.
