Rotary Club of Palgrave Minutes: Earth Day, it’s all about the trees

April 19, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Janet Clark

When he was a boy growing up in Vermont, Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International, made a startling discovery: “Trees talk to each other in a language of their own.” How else could they flawlessly orchestrate the brilliant display of color that each fall without fail set New England ablaze? It seemed obvious: In order to dazzle, the trees must first plan, they must plot, they must converse. Each tree according to its species is assigned its part,” Harris explained. “The mighty oaks, with such help as the sumacs may give in touching up the low corners, agree to supply the deep wine color admired by all nature lovers; the beech trees, the elms, and the birches supply miles of yellow and red; the maples are never confined to any one color; they are permitted to run riot with everything they have in their paint pots, red, brown, wine color, yellow, green, and what not. All the trees of the forest place their trust in the maples to do the right thing when it comes to painting the forests in the month of October”. Ontario trees certainly have that down to an art!

The love of trees and the environment has continued for all Rotarians. Last summer, Rotarian International President, Ian Riseley, challenged every Rotarian to plant a tree by Earth Day 2018. The Rotary Club of Palgrave has participated in this important project in two ways: one, by funding the planting of trees last year with the Bolton Horticultural Society and, two, in the planting of two Vimy Ridge Oak Tree saplings that will take root in Norma Bangay Park in Palgrave when the weather is more accommodating.
Do your part on Earth Day by planting a tree, cleaning up your part of Caledon, or even removing plastic bags from any trees you come across. To find out more about how Rotary helps our community and how you can make a difference, come check us out any Wednesday Night at Caledon Estates Banquet Hall by signing up at www.rotaryclubofpalgrave.com or find us on Facebook.