Tina Nillissen has two passions: gardening and helping children. The Wayzata resident has combined these passions into a fundraiser to benefit Russian orphans.
Billed as a "magical gardening journey," Petals of Hope is a tour of six private gardens around Lake Minnetonka taking place this summer on July 30.
“Our guests are encouraged to find a hidden gnome in each garden and collect clues to a secret message,” says Nillissen.
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Nillissen saw the need and desperation in Russia while adopting her son from Ekaterinburg in 2000. She decided to help.
In 2002, Nillissen founded the charity Faces of Siberia—which provides clothes, medical supplies and educational programs to Russian orphanages, shelters and hospitals.
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“There are over 700,000 orphans in Russia,” Nillissen says. “Our goal is to instill a sense of hope in these forgotten children.”
Faces of Siberia focuses on school-age children whose chances of being adopted are limited. Proceeds from Petals of Hope will help fund the charity's programs that were created after Nillissen met with directors of several orphanages.
One program is the Birthday Club, which allows an orphaned child to celebrate his or her birthday outside the walls of the orphanage.
“They celebrate with an excursion to a park, aquarium, or circus,” she says. “We’d like to expand the Birthday Club to include more children.”
Nillissen's 11-year-old son, Vladislav, met many of these children on a trip to Russia in 2009. He helps produce birthday videos for each child.
Faces of Siberia also collects artwork done by children in orphanages and turns them into greeting cards.
“Art is a creative outlet for kids to express their feelings and dreams for the future,” Nillissen explains.
Proceeds from card sales, which can be purchased online and at Kathie's Finds in Wayzata, go directly to the orphanages and programs supported by Faces of Siberia.
“We’re hoping to launch an artwork program for orphans in the Ukraine,” says Nillissen.
Gardens will be open from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on July 30. Cold water and homemade caramel corn will be provided. Some gardens will feature a raffle to win a gift certificate to local gardening centers.
While the event has sold 200 tickets in the past, Nillissen doesn’t have a sales goal.
“Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference for these kids,” she says
Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.facesofsiberia.org or at Kelley & Kelley Nursery on Watertown Road in Long Lake, Tonkadale Greenhouse on Tonkawood Road in Minnetonka or Kathie’s Finds on East Lake Street in Wayzata.
Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 the day of the tour. Children under 12 are admitted free with a purchased adult ticket.
For more information on Faces of Siberia or the children it benefits, visit www.facesofsiberia.org.
