This is an example of the type of letter that means a great deal to me:

Dear Graham,

Our campus is better because of you- thank you!

We will water the trees this evening, and will look forward to partnering to keep them healthy and strong.

Your crew is invited to dine in our Commons Dining Hall ( the food is excellent) anytime they are here.

Your team of guys are real gentlemen, just like you.

See you soon, and with gratitude, Peggy

Peggy P. Cook
Chief Advancement Officer
Poly Prep Country Day School
LS - 50 Prospect Park West  Brooklyn, NY  11215
MS/US - 9216 Seventh Ave  Brooklyn, NY  11228
o. 718.836.9800 ext. 3040

direct line 347-394-1169

Here is my response:

Peggy

Matt is a superstar.  He is a superb manager and learns incredibly quickly.  He is the reason that I plan to do much, much more with a 25 year plan in force.  The three men on his team were a pleasure to work with and came through when we needed them to unload.

And of course you are elegant, refined and "get it."   Thank you for saying that you might be able to make it on the 7th for Barney Lipscomb's lecture.   Your understanding and support of my vision is a dream come true!

YES YES YES.  Watering now is everything - 20 minutes on each tree tonight and tomorrow is critical to keep them alive at this late planting time.   Really the trees should have been planted in March.  So it is 50/50 that they will make it.  PLEASE help me with this.  15 minutes everyday for the next 7 days and then 15 minutes on Mondays and Thursdays for the rest of the Summer

Alex and Santana and one other helper will be by tomorrow to work on creating "loamy" soil so that the nutrients can pass through the root systems.    They will also tamp down the soil to stop oxygen from damaging the roots.  They will remove nutrient stealing grass with a 3 foot radius on the Cyprus and a 4 foot radius on the Beeches.

Can you believe it - we planted 74 trees today in less than 8 hours!!!!  That has to be some kind of a record!!!  All thanks to Matt encouraging synergy. 

My goal for the next year is 1000 new plants to make Poly Prep's 26 acres GLOW.   The canvas already is superb with fine topography, water availability AND a wonderful group of oaks planted 40 years ago that are masterpiece specimens now.  Someone cared about these grounds and made a profound contribution.  Something should be done to honor that man or woman of foresight. 

And LASTLY, I mostly want to hear all negative comments so that we can work on having comprehensive support creating a world class TEACHING arboretum for Poly Prep!  Criticism will make this better.

Thank you for allowing me to work with your team.

Truly

Graham