Peter and Katie Hayes and their family dedicated the new garden outside of the New College Foundation’s Keating Center in honor of Katie Hayes’ mother, Anne (Anno) Osborne Swain, last month. Swain, who was a longtime friend of New College, passed away in May 2018, and the gift honors her patronage of the college during most of its nearly 60-year history.
“Anne’s first gift to New College was in 1962,” said MaryAnne Young, executive director of New College Foundation, at the garden dedication on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, on what would have been Anne’s birthday.”
Rob Audet, landscape coordinator at New College, saw the overgrown and underutilized outdoor space at the Foundation’s Keating Center building, and reached out to New College supporters Peter and Katie Hayes about funding the garden makeover. The Hayes family got on board immediately and decided to have the Foundation name the garden in memory of Swain, beloved matriarch of the family, who loved New College from its earliest years.
Swain’s generosity will have a lasting impact on the entire New College community, and this garden will serve as a reminder of all she did for the college.
“Anne’s support of New College was a constant,” said Young, “and she brought her family members into the New College fold as well. Thank you to the Hayes family for this beautiful new space the college can use for events, as well as a peaceful place for reflection.”
Look for the full story in the spring issue of Nimbus magazine. You can see before-and-after photos of the garden below.