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Wawa and Bok Tower Gardens are teaming up again to offer Wawa Summer Fun Days featuring complimentary admission on the last Thursday and Friday of May through August.

The 2025 Wawa Summer Fun Days will continue June 25-26, July 30-31, and August 27-28.

Pre-registration is requested for this complimentary offer. Visitors can register at https://boktowergardens.org/wawa-summer-fun-days-2026/

The extremely popular seek & find game "Where's Wally" will be back again adding another level of fun to this family day in the Gardnes.

The partnership began in 2021 with the launch of Wawa Summer Fun Days, and the offer was expanded in 2022. Since the program began, nearly 100,000 participants have received complimentary admission.

Committed to the communities they serve, Wawa is keeping Bok Tower Gardens growing with their generous support.

About Wawa, Inc.

Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 in Pennsylvania as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. with 1,200 locations to date. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, Sizzli hot breakfast sandwiches, hand-crafted specialty beverages, a dinner menu including burgers and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.

About Bok Tower Gardens

Voted one of America’s best gardens, Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located 10 miles from LEGOLAND Florida, 55 miles southwest of Orlando and 60 miles east of Tampa near Lake Wales in Central Florida’s rolling hills of citrus. Open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Visitor Center, Blue Palmetto Café and The Shop at Bok are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for ages 6-17. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. For more information contact Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales FL 33853; 863-676-1408 or visit www.boktowergardens.org.

Bok Tower Gardens Receives 100th AED from Culpepper Cardiac Foundation; Community Invited to Heart Health & AED Awareness Presentation

Special to T&T Magazine

Bok Tower Gardens is honored to receive the 100th Automated External Defibrillator (AED) donated by the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation during a special community event on Sunday, July 19, at 2:00 p.m. The presentation will be led by foundation founder Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke, whose personal journey has inspired a growing movement dedicated to saving lives through public access to AEDs.

The public is invited to attend the event and learn more about AEDs, cardiac emergency response, and the critical role these life-saving devices play in improving public health outcomes. The program will include an educational presentation and demonstration designed to empower community members with knowledge that could one day help save a life.

To commemorate this milestone and recognize those who serve on the front lines of public safety, Bok Tower Gardens will offer complimentary admission to all Florida first responders on July 19.First responders are encouraged to present valid work identification at the entrance gate to receive free admission.

The donation marks a significant achievement for the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation, which has worked tirelessly to place AEDs in schools, churches, businesses, nonprofit organizations, community centers, and public gathering spaces throughout Florida. The AED being installed at Bok Tower Gardens represents the foundation's 100th placement and another step toward its mission of ensuring that life-saving equipment is readily available when every second counts.

The foundation was established by Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke following the tragic loss of her fiancé, Michael Culpepper, to sudden cardiac arrest in 2020. During the emergency, Melanie was asked whether an AED was available. The answer was no. Determined to turn her grief into action, she founded the nonprofit organization to increase access to AEDs and educate communities about cardiac emergency preparedness. Since then, she has become a passionate advocate for heart health awareness, AED accessibility, and first responder support.

Through community partnerships, fundraising events, educational outreach, and a growing network of volunteers and supporters, Melanie has transformed a personal tragedy into a life-saving mission. Under her leadership, the foundation has donated dozens of AEDs across Central Florida while also supporting future first responders through scholarships and public education initiatives. Her commitment has inspired countless individuals and organizations to join the effort to create safer, more prepared communities.

"Receiving the 100th AED from the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation is both an honor and a meaningful investment in the safety of our guests, staff, volunteers, and community," said Erica Smith, Director of Business Development. "We are grateful to Melanie and her foundation for their dedication to saving lives and raising awareness about the importance of AED access and emergency preparedness."

"The goal has always been simple: to make sure more people have a chance to survive a cardiac emergency," said Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke. "Every AED we place represents hope, preparedness, and the possibility of saving someone's loved one. Reaching our 100th AED is an incredible milestone, and I am honored to share it with Bok Tower Gardens and the community."

The July 19 event is free with Gardens admission and is open to all guests interested in learning more about cardiac health, emergency response, and the importance of AED accessibility. The AED installation and the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation is supported in part by Daily Ridge. 

About Culpepper Cardiac Foundation

The Culpepper Cardiac Foundation is a Florida-based nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about cardiac arrest, expanding access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), supporting first responders, and educating communities about life-saving emergency response. Founded by Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke in memory of Michael Culpepper, the organization has placed AEDs throughout Central Florida and continues to advocate for heart health and preparedness.

About Bok Tower Gardens:

Voted one of America’s best gardens, Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located in Central Florida near Lake Wales. Open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Visitor Center, Blue Palmetto Café and The Shop at Bok are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for ages 6-17. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. For more information contact Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales FL 33853; 863-676-1408 or visit www.boktowergardens.org.