Nonpro t
BY KAREN CHANEY
Audrey Quezada loved butter ies and nature. She died when she was 16 years old. The Audrey Quezada Butter y Garden was built in her honor.
COURTESY QUEZADA FAMILY
Members of the Quezada family attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the butter y garden and little library at nonpro t Serve Lewisville. Pictured from left are Sonja, Sally, Delilah, Federico and Justin Quezada.
KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Audrey Quezada Butter y Garden o ers new oasis
Leadership Lewisville Class 38 planted owers known to attract butter ies.
When Class 38 of Leadership Lewisville, a program of the city’s chamber of commerce, was tasked with nding a community project, Allison Quisenberry suggested building a butter y garden and little library at nonpro t Serve Lewisville, where she serves as development director. After the death of fellow classmate Sally Quezada’s 16-year-old daughter in December, the project was dedicated in her honor. On June 27, a ribbon cutting ceremony and butter y release was held for the Audrey Quezada Butter y Garden. The inspiration Quezada said Audrey was born with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, which caused her to have back-to-back seizures. Doctors gave her a ve-year life expectancy and said she would be wheelchair bound. “She surpassed those goals. She was a ghter,” Quezada said. “She was beautiful and had a contagious smile. Everyone knew her by her smile and she loved hugs.” Quezada said Audrey also loved butter ies. One of her Hebron High School teachers called her a butter y due to the transformation Audrey undertook as her student. “She loved the outdoors,” Quezada said. “I think she would love [the butter y garden]. She loved colors and there will be a lot of bright colors. Nature was her sanctuary, her peace.”
Who it’s for Quisenberry said the mission of Serve Lewis- ville, which opened in July 2023, is to partner with the community to help people in need. She added that the garden and library would bene t those seeking services from the other non- pro ts housed at Serve Lewisville, including My Health My Resources Denton and Tarrant County, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County and Single Parent Advocate. “You’re not in the best mental space when you go get assistance [from these nonpro ts] but this will make it better,” Quisenberry said. “I thought it would be a great way for those who work in the community and work for the nonpro ts in the building to go and relax and get away from the stress—step outside and get a breath of fresh air.” The set up Leadership Lewisville Class 38 had a workday in May to plant owers known to attract butter ies such as buttonbush, Texas lantana, mist ower and milkweed. The little library was stocked with children’s books during the ribbon cutting. The garden and library will be maintained by Serve Lewisville. “We’re located next to an elementary school so we have a lot of students who walk by and we wanted to provide some books for them to take home,” Quisenberry said. “It’s a way to honor Audrey and the legacy she has in the community.”
KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
A little library is located at the Audrey Quezada Butter y Garden.
KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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1001 S. Edmonds Lane, Lewisville www.servelewisville.org www.lewisvillechamber.org
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