Grayson Subaru ‘Shares the Love’ with Ijams Nature Center
By Jamie Schnell
Schnellj@knoxfocus.com
Thursday’s Subaru Share the Love Event at the Ijams Visitor Center featured a generous donation from Grayson Subaru, a longtime supporter of Ijams. They presented a check for over $46,000, which will help fund Phase 2 of Ijams’ property development. Previously, Grayson Subaru assisted in purchasing nearly 14 acres of land, known as the Grayson Subaru Preserve.
Phase 2 will focus on creating a cutting-edge nature playscape in the upland area adjacent to the current playscape, as well as expanding the swim area of Mead’s Quarry. This upland area will offer more opportunities for hill climbing and include serene spaces like “forest rooms” for visitors to enjoy.
Subaru sales manager JC Marquardt told The Knoxville Focus, “Grayson is proud that they were able to do this and to be a part of it, and proud of the world that has been created here.
“You have an escape, right in the middle of town, with lakes, caves, summer camps and a first new adult summer camp. As a corporate entity, we want to support the community that has been good to us for over 40 years.”
Marquardt thanked the dedicated volunteers, “The reason you support a place like this, is the amazing work that Ijams does, but also to see how many children are having fun. It’s very easy to support that and a privilege to do so.”
Amber Parker, CEO of Ijams, stated, “We aim to create a space that children can enjoy, encouraging them to interact, be creative, and embrace the outdoors. Ijams is for everyone, and nature is for everyone. It is essential for us, as part of Ijams’ mission, to meet people where they are and to design experiences that engage everyone. The more we can encourage people to connect with nature, the better stewards of the environment they will become.”
Ijams Nature Center is located at 2915 Island Home Ave in Knoxville. To learn more about Ijams, its programs, job opportunities, or volunteering, please visit www.ijams.org.
