Op-Ed by First Lady Jenny Sanford

COLUMBIA, SC (10/07/2008)(readMedia)-- Op-Ed by First Lady Jenny Sanford

Word Count: 824

COME CELEBRATE THE GREENING OF OUR GOVERNOR'S MANSION

Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy the outdoors in South Carolina, and I cannot think of a better time to enjoy the many historic homes and gardens across our state, including those at our South Carolina Governor's Mansion. Toward that end, I would like to tell you about the "greening" going on at the Governor's Mansion - in the home and in the gardens- and to invite you to join us in celebration this fall.

South Carolina is blessed with a Governor's Mansion Complex that is one of the most beautiful in our nation. As temporary caretaker of the historic homes and gardens on this property, I have worked hard since serving as First Lady, to ensure that we maintain this complex with a sense of stewardship- financially, aesthetically and environmentally.

On the financial side, we have reorganized the way we operate at the Governor's Mansion, effectively saving South Carolina taxpayers roughly $1.5 million over these last 6 years. Aesthetically, with the assistance of the Governor's Mansion Commission and Foundation and Charleston designer Kathleen Rivers, we refurbished the historic Lace House in 2003 using private funds, and reopened the home for rental for weddings and special events. Proceeds from this successful rental program were then used to begin a garden beautification project, to make the grounds more accessible and enjoyable. It is our hope, in renovating and updating these gardens, that the public will use them more and that they will continue to generate rental income which we will use to address ongoing maintenance of the complex. Environmentally, we are using proceeds generated from the rental programs to install solar panels on our roof and reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs

We have completed the first phase of the garden enhancement project which includes new lighting, benches, fountains, ironwork and plantings in the ‘rooms' near the Lace House. In the ‘wedding garden' which has a natural canopy of shade and is ideal for nuptial ceremonies, spotty grass has been tiled in bluestone and is much more functional for events. The second phase of the garden restoration will focus on the parterre and adjacent garden rooms, making them more enjoyable for the public, easier to maintain for staff and therefore less costly to taxpayers. The enhancement of the Lace House and Caldwell-Boylston Gardens, which are open to the public, has been designed by South Carolina landscape architect Sheila Wertimer, a member of the Foundation.

Environmentally, we have worked hard since we have lived here to do our part to reduce our impact on the environment where possible. We started a comprehensive recycling program and work with the Department of Corrections and the city of Columbia to process reusable waste each year. We planted an organic garden and use local fruits and vegetables when possible. We have an "empty rooms love darkness" policy and keep lights off in any and all rooms when not in use, including in public rooms on days tours are scheduled. We have replaced light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs where possible and we do our best to keep thermostats at energy efficient settings. The installation of solar panels will help to complement these efforts and further reduce our carbon footprint.

These combined efforts will make the gardens more amenable to events, safer, and less costly to maintain while the solar and other green efforts at the mansion will reduce the overall carbon footprint and save further taxpayer money while honoring the historic nature of the Mansion and grounds. We are proud of our efforts and invite all to come visit the gardens and the mansion and to enjoy the "greening". The Governor's Mansion is open to the public weekdays, free of charge. Tours must be booked in advance by calling 803-737-1710. The gardens are open daily during the week, free of charge and do not require an appointment. The Lace House and the gardens are available for rent daily and can be viewed or booked by calling Meg Milne at 803-737-2235 or by visiting www.lacehouse.sc.gov. Special rates are given for non-profits and for government agencies.

On Friday, October 17^th, the South Carolina Governor's Mansion Commission and Foundation is hosting a special evening event, "Autumn in the Gardens," to celebrate the restoration of the Caldwell-Boylston gardens at the Mansion complex. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Governor's Mansion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to assisting the Mansion Commission in acquiring furnishings and restoring the houses and gardens. This event will feature cocktails in the gardens and the Lace House, dinner on the Mall and dessert at the Governor's Mansion, thus showcasing all of the treasures on these special and historic grounds. The flow of this evening will highlight the new and the old while raising money to invest in the next phase of the garden enhancements.

For more information about Autumn in the Gardens, please contact Nancy Bunch at 803-737-1710.