For Michael and Carol Staenberg, Forest Park has been a special family destination for decades. When their daughters were young, the Park was a place of frequent play and cultural exploration. Years later, one daughter celebrated her wedding at the Jewel Box and the Emerson Grand Basin.
Today, whether showing off the Park to visiting friends and family or biking on the Park’s path system, the Staenbergs continue to enjoy so much of what the Park offers. With a remarkable lead gift of $1 million early in the Forever campaign, Michael and Carol are playing a leadership role in securing Forest Park for generations to come and inspiring others to support this effort. This generous gift continues a long tradition of community impact and leadership, including Carol’s active work as a dedicated volunteer and Michael’s role as President of The Staenberg Group.
We are pleased to share a few thoughts from Michael and Carol about Forest Park:
A COMMUNITY GEM
Forest Park is one of the crowned jewels of our community. It’s a unique area that many other cities cannot claim. To have such a vast expanse of green space is a true treasure. It gives everyone a shared space to walk, jog or bike and creates an atmosphere of healthy living.
AN ASSET TO BUSINESSES
Forest Park adds to the quality of life for everyone, including the business community. Many businesses use the Park as an attraction to bring people here to work, as well as an amenity for employee outings.
A NATIONAL DESTINATION
Forest Park has evolved from a local park to a national destination. It has so much to offer — from the Zoo to the Muny, the Art Museum to the History Museum, golfing to biking to just being around beautiful, natural surroundings.
ON INVESTING TODAY
The reason our family and foundation want to be involved is because Forest Park is so important. It is truly a place where all walks of life can gather. It provides art, music, theater, golf and nature. Forest Park reflects everything St. Louis stands for. We encourage everyone to donate and support the Park. We all need to invest in Forest Park so we can enjoy it for many generations to come.