Fran and Dee Johnson, who were long time members of the Topeka Rose Society, remembered the Topeka Rose Society in their will. The Johnson’s bequeath was invested. Flowers are placed on the Johnson’s graves every Memorial Day in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Topeka. Rose growing was an integral part of their lives, and they truly enjoyed the relationships they developed in the Topeka Rose Society.
It was determined by a vote of the Topeka Rose Society membership, based on legal counsel, to form a separate entity of a foundation to protect the Topeka Rose Society assets and afford the most favorable treatment by the IRS. The Topeka Rose Society Foundation was formed and is managed by a six member board of directors. The Topeka Rose Society directly elects two foundation board members annually. The terms are staggered and each member serves three years. A board member must be a member of the Topeka Rose Society.
For the Topeka Rose Society to maintain a tax exempt status under the auspices of the American Rose Society certain regulations must be adhered to. One of these restrictions is that only a certain amount of the income can be passive. It was therefore determined that it would be beneficial for the foundation to directly pay for certain Topeka Rose Society annual expenses that are primarily educational or public oriented. These include the monthly newsletter, the Annual TRS Rose Show, the Spring Garden Show booth, monthly program expenses, and educational material pertaining to roses. Expenses for these items are paid by the foundation treasurer.
A past project includes a 2003 Topeka Rose Society project that upgraded the irrigation system in the Reinisch Rose Garden located in Topeka, KS. Total funding for this project was provided by the Topeka Rose Society Foundation. The City of Topeka placed a bronze plaque making note of this project at the north gate of the garden.
Other past projects include donations of books on rose growing to the Topeka- Shawnee County Public Library, student scholarships, funding of a replanting of the Topeka Rose Bed at the American Rose Society headquarters in Shreveport, LA, donations to the Reinisch Rose Garden for the upkeep of rose beds, funding of an award for the Topeka Beautification Lawn and Garden contest for the best use of roses in landscape, and funding the girl scout –Reinisch Rose Garden summer dead heading of roses project. These projects are funded from interest earned on the principal investment made possible by the Johnson’s generosity.
