Who Are The Friends?

Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch

Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch, Inc., a nonprofit organization, collaborates with the City of Aiken to preserve, maintain, and develop Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch and to raise money to help with the costs. Admission is free to Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch. Enjoy these public gardens as Hope Goddard Iselin wished it to be: “a quiet, peaceful haven for the pleasure and refreshment of all who enter.” Visit the Rye Patch grounds and see the Historic Horses of Aiken and the Clifford S. Gerde Carriage Museum. The restored Winter Colony home Rye Patch and the Guest Cottage are civic centers that can be rented for events “of suitable dignity.”

To join the Friends, send a tax-deductible donation in any amount to the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch, Inc., P.O. Box 2213, Aiken, SC 29802-2213, or donate online

Officers

2026–2027 Officers

President: Michael Cowen
Vice-President: John Carman
Treasurer: Jeff Wallace
Recording Secretary: Jessica Stalker
Corresponding Secretary: Christy Sloan
Executive Director: Laura Momot

Executive Committee Members

2026–2027 Executive Committee Members

Mark Kingsley
Pam Kolb
Allen Riddick
Fred Sturdivant
Kathy Wise
Holly Woltz

Class of 2026

Karen Chandor

Anna Dangerfield

Bob Fogle

Susan Kleinbub

Pamella Kolb*

Sean Poppy

Lynne Rhodes

Mary Smith

Heather Waddell

Holly Woltz*

*Member of Executive Committee

Class of 2027

Kena Black

Tara Bostwick

Michael Cowen*

Tommie Culligan

Chuck Foster

Jack Merritt

Allen Riddick*

Charles Rudnick

Christy Sloan*

Jessica Stalker*

Fred Sturdivant*

*Member of Executive Committee

Class of 2028

Chris Abbott

Fred Andrea

Joshua Booth

Kay Brohl

John Carman*

Reggie Ebner

Susan Elder

Robert Gossett

Kathy Harte

Betsy Wilson Mahoney

Lisa Muenow

Jeff Wallace

Kathy Wise*

*Member of Executive Committee

Class of 2029

Karen Chandor

Bob Fogle

Mark Kingsley

Susan Kleinbub

Pam Kolb

Carolyne McPherson

Jessica Morgan

Sean Poppy

Lynne Rhodes

David Tavernier

Heather Waddell

Holly Woltz

Stuart Bedenbaugh, City Manager, City of Aiken
James Tunison, President/CE, Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce
Pamella Kolb, President, Aiken Council of Garden Clubs
Barry Bornstein, President, Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum