DIZZY is a delicious word. When I look at it or sound it out loud, I start to feel somewhat giddy, wobbly, woozy, lightheaded, scatterbrained, and flighty. As a kid I became dizzy from whirling like a dervish; as a teenager I felt dizzy standing high atop the Eiffel Tower; and as an adult I felt dizzy from falling in love...or... working with statistics.
>Yes, dizzy from statistics, since I am one of many who are mathematically challenged, yet enamored with the sharing of information. And I believe that in the best of worlds, data and the manner in which they are presented, can be quite revealing. The presentation of statistics tells something about the person furnishing the records, something about the target audience, and of course, a great deal about the subject matter itself.
The use figures for docent-led free tours of the MEMBG from 1997 through 2000 offer a good example of data and their presentation.
Even without seeing the figures I'm about to introduce, you can guess that this information is important to me. I'm proud of the docent program and what it has accomplished in a relatively short time. I want to share this information because I hope you too will find it meaningful and will actively support the garden and the docent program.
Who are the YOU that make up the target audience? You are as varied as the more than 5,000 species of plants that grow in the MEMBG. In no apparent order, you are a miscellaneous group of colleagues, family and friends; directors of botanical gardens and arboretums; garden staff, volunteer gardeners and docents; government officials; supporting-with-your-monetary-contributions Friends of the MEMBG; neighboring homeowner associations and merchant groups; LAUSD and SMMUSD superintendents and local K-12 principals; as well as classes and community groups who have enjoyed touring the garden in the past few years.
For a program still in its infancy, averaging one to three tours a week, the use figures are quite notable. In a little less than three years from the time we started keeping track of the numbers, the docents volunteered 2,570 hours and led 150 tours for 4,820 visitors. The tour numbers are broken down by K-12 school groups, university level classes, community groups (garden clubs, alumni, senior, and religious groups, etc.), and drop-in tour visitors. The docent volunteer hours include leading tours; attending refresher trainings, field trips, and administrative meetings; and helping with administrative and other miscellaneous tasks.
These impressive figures do not include the many hundreds of visitors a week who informally meander through the garden on their way to/from class or the medical center; those who are there for a power walk or a tranquil stroll; or those who enjoy lunching and napping among the many plant and animal families that inhabit this magical garden.
And the figures don't include the dizzying array of kids twirling like dervishes, squirrels high in the tree tops, couples wandering in love, or me...keeping track of all the numbers!
CAROL FELIXSON, Docent and Communications Coordinator