Apr 12 2021 Organizations Partnering to Celebrate Earth Day with Greening the Grove
Contact: Emily Swihart
Trees Forever Field Coordinator
eswihart@treesforever.org
563-260-1000
Organizations Partnering to Celebrate Earth Day with "Greening the Grove"
Sponsors and volunteers gathering for tree plantings and distribution at Big Grove Brewery
IOWA CITY, IA (Apr. 12, 2021) - Community members are invited to join in on an Earth Day celebration, “Greening the Grove,” happening Thursday, April 22 at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City. Partner organizations and sponsors will host a tree planting ceremony at the site along with a tree seedling distribution for members of the public. The community is encouraged to attend from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for live music, drinks, outdoor activities and Earth Day festivities.
The event is being held in partnership between GreenState Credit Union, Trees Forever, Big Grove Brewery, Quality Care and Landscape, and the City of Iowa City. The plantings and tree distribution at Big Grove Brewery are being held through “The Green Initiative,” a program sponsored by GreenState Credit Union and managed by Trees Forever with the goal of planting one tree for each new account opened at the credit union.
“We are excited our Green Initiative is getting people involved in planting,” said Tara Wachendorf, Public Relations Director at GreenState Credit Union. “Making these seedlings available to the public is an important step in replanting following the recent derecho disaster. People are excited to regrow their community tree canopies.”
The event will begin at 2:00 p.m. with an invitation-only ceremony featuring elected officials, media partners and representatives from sponsor and partner organizations. The ceremony will feature an on-site tree planting with remarks from organization leadership.
Volunteers will be distributing 1,000 tree seedlings to attendees throughout the afternoon. Seedling trees will be available in five species, providing a variety of sizes and options for participants to plant on their properties and neighborhoods. “Seedlings are an ideal option when organizing a large-scale planting project and spring is the perfect time to do that. These small trees can be handled and planted with relative ease, and many trees can be planted in a single event,” said Emily Swihart, Trees Forever Field Coordinator.
The Green Initiative is currently accepting applications from the public for additional seedling planting and distribution events. Communities, municipal departments and private volunteer or community groups may apply for grant funds for their projects in publicly accessible areas. There are also options for planting on private property. For more information about the seedlings program, visit www.treesforever.org/greeninitiative.
Trees Forever is a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Marion, Iowa. Its mission – to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship – is fulfilled through cutting-edge programs and innovative practices. Trained and experienced staff have assisted community leaders and landowners across Iowa, Illinois and beyond with thousands of planting projects. Each year, on average, Trees Forever works with and engages more than 7,000 volunteers who give generously of their time and talents. To date, they’ve helped plant more than 3 million trees.