The Plant City Garden Club is known for helping nature flourish throughout the community and this year the group chose to beautify the outdoors of the Everyday Blessings organization once again.
The garden club planted a bottle brush tree on the premises, in recognition of Arbor Day, on Friday.
Last year the club planted a magnolia tree on the campus as well. Both were donated by Eddy Evans, owner of Complete Landcare.
However, the garden club didn’t complete both projects alone. It was a team effort with the help of the children who live on the Everyday Blessings campus.
Kate Mansfield is the development director for the non-profit organization who was present with the kids that day.
“It was really great to see their involvement and appreciation for the tree and the event on a whole,” she said. “They were really, really excited to dig the hole, fill the hole, [and] water the plants. They just love that kind of thing.”
The tree was rooted in front of the campus’ first building which is where the kitchen and dining room are.
It’s a convenient location so the youth and any visitors can instantly get a glimpse of it.
Everyday Blessings is an organization and home that takes in children from infants all the way to age 17. They are possibly placed there because they may come from an abusive home, or they were abandoned or neglected. They live on campus with their own caregivers who will occasionally take them out to the beach, bowling alley and the movie theater.
On Friday, all 26 children came out to help put up the tree.
“They’re wonderful,” said Jan Griffin, treasurer for the Plant City Garden Club. “They’re so enthusiastic. They certainly were excited about planting this tree.”
The garden club has celebrated Arbor Day in putting up trees throughout town.
“We’ve planted trees in just about all the schools, downtown Plant City…We’ve planted trees all over town for Arbor Day.”
Other notable areas include the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center, the police department, Veterans Park, the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center, and the Bing Rooming House Museum.
Arbor Day was started by J. Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor from Nebraska City, Nebraska, on April 10, 1872.
After he became the Nebraska Territory secretary, he proposed the tree holiday at a State Board of Agriculture meeting on Jan. 4 of the same year. It was officially proclaimed by Nebraska Governor Robert W. Furnas, and the following year, Arbor Day was named a legal Nebraska holiday. It was decided that its official day of celebration would be every April 22.
An estimated 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. Counties and individuals were rewarded with prizes for the most properly planted trees.
Other states would soon follow, passing legislation to recognize Arbor Day.
By 1882, schools across the country were already implementing the special day within their curriculum by educating students on the importance of trees. In 1920, more than 45 states and territories were celebrating the holiday.
Today, Arbor Day is celebrated globally and in all 50 states, with the most common date being the last Friday in April.
However, some states recognize the day at other times of the year when the weather is most appropriate.
Florida celebrates in January. This year the celebration at Everyday Blessings was held in March as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19.
After finishing their project outside of Everyday Blessings, Griffin shared with the kids that same history of how the holiday came to be.
They also decided that they wanted to give the tree a name and had a week to brainstorm. Afterwards a name would be pulled from a hat.
“We wanted to make it fun beyond the event and keep them engaged with the importance of taking care of the tree,” Mansfield said. “It was their idea to name it and we definitely want to encourage that. That will hopefully keep them having that feeling of love for the tree.”
The kids also have helping hands from the community throughout the year.
The Plant City Elks Lodge cooks and brings food to Everyday Blessings each Friday.
However, it is one of many organizations that have supported Everyday Blessings over the years, Mansfield said. “We are so fortunate for the support of all of the organizations, businesses, individuals, churches, everybody that has supported Everyday Blessings for many, many years.”
With all the companionship from the caregivers and constant assistance from the community, the tree holiday is one that always stands out.
“We are very, very thankful and grateful to the Plant City Garden Club for wanting to help beautify our campus and share that special day – Arbor Day with the kids,” Mansfield said.