'The difference one person can make'

General Article
August 1, 2002

Longtime center donor Orin Edson helps open park named for him

Orin and Charlene Edson beam following the dedication ceremony July 19 for Edson Park. Photo by Gordon Todd

By LAUREN VANE

"I've got great respect for Fred Hutchinson and what they're doing here. They're do- ing a great job, and it's because they've got great management."

With those words from longtime philanthropist and center supporter J. Orin Edson, the new Day Campus park named for him was dedicated July 19.

During a pre-dedication luncheon in the courtyard between the Hutchinson and Weintraub buildings, Edson praised the facilities at Fred Hutchinson to which he has contributed generously over the years.

"These are beautiful buildings and a wonderful campus," he said. "You have to provide very good facilities to get the very best people. They've done a good job of attracting people, and it's not just with finance, it's with the buildings and the surroundings they work in."

Joining Edson as speakers were Dr. Lee Hartwell, center president and director, and Seattle City Council member Jan Drago, who noted the positive impact that private donations can have on both the center and the community.

"Because of the generous support from Orin Edson, Fred Hutchinson was able to plan and develop this park, and the result is that the community and Fred Hutchinson have a beautiful, public open space to enjoy," Drago said.

Bridge to neighborhood

Expressing his thanks to Edson and his wife, Charlene, for their "longstanding generosity," Hartwell characterized the park as a bridge between the center and the surrounding neighborhood.

"This is a part of the campus that we can welcome the community into," he said.

Donations such as Orin Edson's are a "huge contribution to the citizens of Seattle," Drago said. "With the development of this park, Fred Hutchinson continues its record of being a good neighbor to the South Lake Union area, the city and Puget Sound. This is a record that any business would envy and should strive to emulate."

Larry Feder, vice president for Development, noted the vital role of contributions in the center's success.

"Private support is so crucial here," he said. "The private donations serve as the catalyst for the bigger grants from the National Cancer Institute."

In turn, such grants are responsible for the Center attracting what Feder called "the creme de la creme of scientific investigators."

Bonnie Towne, who chairs the Fred Hutchinson Foundation Board, said the park will "serve as a constant reminder to the center staff and community of the difference that one person can make and hopefully, will inspire others."

And Edson invited others to donate to the center if possible: "Dig in your pockets, if any of you can help, please do!"

Following the luncheon, onlookers made their way from the courtyard down to the new park, where Edson and his family cut a ribbon to officially open it. Each guest was given a potted plant to serve as a memory of the day.

[Lauren Vane is a journalism student at Boston University and an intern at Fred Hutchinson this summer.]

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