x
  1. Home
  2.  News
  3.  Local News

Warwick school children help plant a tree for Arbor Day

| 03 May 2012 | 12:21
    During the ceremony, the school children sang a special song, ìThe Trees are Growing,î that they had practiced for the occasion.
    During the ceremony, the school children sang a special song, ìThe Trees are Growing,î that they had practiced for the occasion.
    Guest speaker Daniel Mack, a rustic furniture maker and artist, compared the way a tree grows with life in general and then delighted the children with a poem, ìTalking Trees.î
    Guest speaker Daniel Mack, a rustic furniture maker and artist, compared the way a tree grows with life in general and then delighted the children with a poem, ìTalking Trees.î
    Shade Tree Commissioner Roger Metzger, a 46-year veteran of the Commission, celebrated the event with his grandson Rory O'Connor.
    Shade Tree Commissioner Roger Metzger, a 46-year veteran of the Commission, celebrated the event with his grandson Rory O'Connor.

WARWICK — The Park Avenue School first grade classes of Pat Santalla, Charlene D’Angelillo, Jennie Priovolos, Mary Dolan, Cathy Hobart and Dori Myers marched by way of the pedestrian bridge to Stanley-Deming Park last Friday morning. It was Arbor Day and they were on their way to help plant a Weeping Cherry tree.

The Cherry tree was selected to honor the 100th year anniversary of the national gift from Tokyo to Washington, D.C.

Mayor Michael Newhard was on hand to welcome the children and explain that Warwick had been named a “Tree City, USA” for 29 consecutive years. The designation is awarded by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

According to the National Garden Bureau, designation as a Tree City, USA is an asset to any town or village. So are a vital shade tree commission, an inventory of trees, a tree planting and replacement policy and a preservation program. The Village of Warwick qualifies in all areas.

Shade Tree Commissioner Roger Metzger, a 46-year veteran of the Commission, talked about the origins of the celebration and how the idea, which quickly spread throughout the country, was first observed in Nebraska in 1872.

Guest speaker Daniel Mack, a rustic furniture maker and artist, delighted the children with a poem, “Be Different to Trees.”

Mayor Newhard asked the children to name some benefits that we receive from trees. The variety of all correct answers included fresh air, a home for birds and animals, paper, houses and beauty. Metzger also added that, very important to our health, trees breathe in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

During the ceremony, the school children sang a special song, “The Trees are Growing,” that they had practiced for the occasion.

Several children from each class were invited to take turns shoveling some dirt to help plant the new tree.

Craig Wadeson from Wadeson’s Home Center, then handed out hundreds of tiny evergreens donated by his company.

Metzger urged the children to wrap the roots in a damp towel and then find a suitable area in their back yards to plant the trees.

“Pick a spot out of the way of your dad’s lawnmower,” he smiled.