Donor Spotlight: Elizabeth, Jason and Leo Ardillo
Elizabeth and Jason Ardillo’s relationship started with a first date hike at Asbury Woods in 2015. Fast forward to 2022, and they have now shared countless hikes here together, a marriage proposal at Asbury Woods, and a two-year-old with a string of firsts at Asbury Woods.
Their young family of son, Leo, and two dogs, Angus and Sophie, spend many hours here together. Elizabeth shares, “Jason and I both feel most at peace in nature, and we feel so lucky to have grown up with exposure to the woods from a young age. Having Asbury Woods close by allows us to provide the same experiences for Leo.” Besides hours of time on the trail as a family, Elizabeth has also brought Leo to our Nature Tots program, which she noted, “Gives kids a chance to socialize in a small classroom, where we have made friends and learned so much about nature! We are confident that Leo’s experiences in nature will provide him with life-long skills and an understanding of the natural world. He has already learned about plants, animals, the weather, changing seasons, and more!”
As a way to share their gratitude for all Asbury Woods has meant to their family, Jason and Elizabeth recently made a donation to be a Contributing Donor to Asbury Woods at a level that allows them to sponsor an animal in our Exhibit Hall. Elizabeth commented, “We decided to donate in this way because Asbury Woods has provided us with so many opportunities and experiences over the years. We visit at least once a week, and we value that it remains free for the public to enjoy. We decided to donate at the Adopt-An-Animal level of $500 because Leo really loves having the chance to visit his furry, bumpy, and scaly friends inside the Nature Center. He makes sure to chat with each one as he circles the exhibit hall, so no one feels left out! We want to model what it means to give back and take care of the people, places, and animals we love so dearly. We are so lucky to have beautiful Asbury Woods in Erie!”
Donors who make an annual gift of $500 or more are able to sponsor an animal in the Exhibit Hall and have a personal meet and greet with that animal. Leo and his family recently enjoyed their meet and greet with Oliver, our European Dwarf Rabbit, and their sponsored animal. Of course, with Leo’s enthusiasm for all things nature, we couldn’t resist introducing him to a few more animals while he was here!
Thank you Elizabeth, Jason and Leo Ardillo for your generosity to Asbury Woods! If you’d like to learn more about how you can Adopt-An-Animal, please visit https://www.asburywoods.org/donate/annual-fund/ or call Jennifer Farrar, Executive Director, at 814-836-6189.
