February 15, 2007

Americus-Sumter community celebrates Arbor Day at GSW

Plant a tree for your tomorrow...--Georgia Southwestern State University and officials from the Americus community celebrated Georgia Arbor Day Friday, Feb. 15. As part of the ceremony, they planted a young cherry bark oak tree. Pictured above are Americus Mayor Barry Blount, third from the right; Sumter County Extension Coordinator Frank Latimore, fifth from the right; to the right of Latimore, former mayor and Chair of the Americus Re-greening Committee Russell Thomas; kneeling with the tree, Brent McCarty with the Georgia Forestry Commission; and GSW President Kendall Blanchard is standing on the far right. Among them are students from GSW's Early College. According to Thomas, the Re-greening committee has raised over $200,000 and has planted over 180 trees at Oak Grove Cemetery. They have plans to re-green Reese Park and Joyce Meyers Park in Americus, as well. The first Arbor Day in Georgia was in 1941.
 

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