A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
The City of O’Fallon has once again been named a Tree City USA. The City has received this national recognition for the past ten years. It is a great honor for the City of O’Fallon to receive this national award. The award reflects the City’s dedication to urban forestry and recognizes the tireless work of our residents who volunteer their time to keep our City looking green.
In observance of Arbor Day, the O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Department and the Urban Forestry Commission held an Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, April 19 at Community Park. Kristen Moore completed her Girl Scout Gold Award by planting a meditation garden in honor of Vera McGuire. Several trees as well as annuals, perennials, and shrubs were planted. In addition, trees were planted at LaVerna Evans School on April 14, as part of their Arbor Day & Earth Day Celebration.
Vera McGuire is a former O’Fallon resident and the meditation garden is funded by donations made by her friends and family. Last August, in honor of her 100th birthday, family members asked for donations in her name to the O’Fallon Parks Department as part of our tree donation program. They felt this would be an appropriate gift for someone her age. Unfortunately, Vera passed away in early 2008, before she was able to see the finished product. After her death, it was noted that donations could be made in her memory to the Parks Department. We will be doing a “mixed garden” and a small arbor including a bench and stepping stones. A grand opening of the meditation garden will be held on April 26 at 10 a.m.
Tree City USA recognition from The National Arbor Day Foundation, which is a non-profit educational organization, is a symbol of how important our community trees are to us. The National Arbor Day Foundation was founded in 1972 to help people plant and care for trees. Today the Foundation has grown into a national membership organization that distributed eight million trees to its members last year alone. To become a Tree City USA, a community must have a tree care ordinance, a legal tree governing body, a comprehensive urban forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.
It is a real honor for O’Fallon to receive the Tree City USA award and is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live. Residents who have an interest in urban forestry and wish to serve on the City’s Urban Forestry Commission or to volunteer should call the Parks and Recreation Department at 624-0139.
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