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Father, Son Make 'Dream Come True' For USF Botanical Gardens

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

TAMPA - A father-and-son volunteer project "is like a dream come true" for the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens.

Dennis Lindeman, 58, and his son, Hank, 19, recently built a Seminole Indian-style chickee hut: a wood-framed pavilion with a palm frond-thatched roof.

Kim Hutton, the gardens' coordinator for volunteers and special events, said: "This is like a dream come true. I have been wanting this for 11 years and have approached various groups, but no one came through before now."

The 16-by-20-foot hut's grand opening will be at 11 a.m. Saturday as part of the 10th annual Butterfly, Herb & Native Plant Fair. The fair is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the gardens, 12210 USF Pine Drive.

A lumber company, R.J. Nathe & Sons, donated the lumber and delivered it; Martin Koch of Southwestern Supply provided more than 3,000 nails; and friends Richard Daniel, Peter Keiffer and Lewis Hill cut and hauled 1,100 cabbage palm fronds.

Admission to the fair is $4 for ages 12 and older and free for ages 11 and younger. For details, call (813) 974-2329 or visit www.cas.usf.edu/garden.

Lenora Lake

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