G1 Invitation to Arbor Day Celebration
G-1-
Invitation to Arbor Day Celebration
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The City of Chanhassen has been celebrating Arbor Day for the last 10 years.
Each year the focus has been the same - celebrate trees - but the means to do so
have varied. We've had owls, eagles and raccoons visit the city for the day.
Woodsy Owl and the Pillsbury dough boy have stopped by in the past. Thousands
of residents have volunteered their time on a Saturday morning in all kinds of
weather to clean neighborhood parks. Some fun Arbor Day trivia facts for anyone
keeping count include: 4,325 evergreen seedlings have been given away; 1,960
trees have been sold; 469 Arbor Day trees have been planted; 1,050 Arbor Day
Frisbees have been passed out to volunteers; and 2,144 hot dogs have been
consumed at Arbor Day volunteer luncheons.
In 1876 Minnesota became the fourth state to adopt Arbor Day as an annual
celebration. Today, Chanhassen sponsors an Arbor Day event each year in order
set aside a time to consider what trees do for us and our community. Trees add
beauty and character to our neighborhoods, reduce energy costs, increase property
values, and reduce pollution. Perhaps Elton Trueblood said it best when he wrote,
"A man has finally begun to discover the meaning of human life when he plants a
tree under which he knows full well he will never sit." Let us plant today, the
trees of tomorrow.
I invite all area residents, their families and friends to Chanhassen's Arbor Day
event to be held on Saturday ~ May 6 at the Chanhassen Librarv and City
Center Park. In the morning, volunteer groups will be cleaning local parks and
gathering for an appreciation lunch at noon. At 10 am, the community Arbor Day
event gets underway with a variety of activities. Jim Gilbert, local naturalist and
author will be giving a presentation in the Wilder Room at 10:00 am. Also at 10
am Jim Bohanon, local chainsaw artist, will be creating a sculpture in City Center
Commons. Children's storytelling time will be at 11 am in the library. Carver-
Scott Master Gardeners, the National Wildlife Federation, a wind energy display
and electric company sign-up information will all be on display near the library
entrance from 10 am - noon. The tree sale this year will include white pines, Red
Splendor and Snowdrift crab apples and smooth serviceberry trees. Outside in the
Arbor Day tent, kids and adults can plant a chestnut tree seed and make pine cone
birdfeeders to take home for their yards. I encourage everyone to come to this free
and fun event.