Magnolia Lakes Peace Garden opens to all, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA.
December 6, 2025
Submitted: January, 2026
A group of 18 neighbors turned what was once a community eyesore into a beautiful public garden, thanks to a $4,000 mini-grant awarded by Hillsborough County as seed money last January.
On Dec. 6, the senior volunteers—who range in age from 72 to 88—and friends of the Magnolia Lakes POA officially celebrated the opening of the Magnolia Lakes Peace Garden and dedicated it to former longtime POA president, Helga Balter, who died in 2024 at age 92.
The Magnolia Lakes Peace Garden features a beautiful variety of 50 different species of Florida-friendly, Florida native and host plants for butterflies.
The Magnolia Lakes Peace Garden was dedicated to former longtime POA president Helga Balter, who died in 2024 at age 92. She was recognized for her warm, welcoming nature.
“She was such a wonderful lady,” said garden project leader Denise Chamberlain, a volunteer who has helped HOAs throughout Sun City Center apply for a variety of county mini-grants over the past several years. “We wanted to honor her for being so special and for her years of service to our neighborhood.”
Chamberlain said the mini-grant portion of the project was actually completed last Memorial Day—well ahead of the county’s July deadline—but the dedication was delayed to get through the hurricane season before installing a custom-made Peace Pole and bronze plaque honoring Balter.
“We want everyone to come and enjoy the garden,” Chamberlain said. It’s open to the entire public.”
Significance of the Peace Pole
The Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of hope for peace on earth. It was originally designed by Japanese philosopher Masahisa Goi, who witnessed the after-effects of nuclear bombing in Japan. The Peace Pole bears the message, “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in different languages on each of its four sides.
“Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire and advocate for peace,” Chamberlain said, as part of her dedication speech, noting the Magnolia Lakes Peace Garden’s Peace Pole is now one of more than 250,000 such Peace Poles placed worldwide as part of the Global Peace Pole Network.
Submitted by: LOIS KINDLE