FUN AND FESTIVITY HIGHLIGHT ARBOR DAY TREE-PLANTING BT MAIN STREET VINELAND IN MINI-PARK
In Conjunction With Vineland Environmental Commission
Commemorated 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day
Part of Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) Long-Term Beautification
and Greenification Initiative
It was a day of fun, festivity, and beautification as Main Street Vineland recently celebrated Arbor Day.
Main Street Vineland was joined by representatives of the City of Vineland Environmental Commission, the Vineland Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) District, Miss Cumberland County Ashley Campbell and approximately 120 fourth grade students from the Gloria M. Sabater Elementary School for the ceremony.
Students displayed drawings they created of trees and remarks came from Main Street Vineland Executive Director Russell Swanson, Environmental Commission member and former Main Street Vineland Design Team Chairperson John Pedersen, NPP District Neighborhood Liaison Andre Rivera, Shirley Santos of the Sabater Elementary School, and Campbell.
“I can’t tell you how thrilled and excited I was to see all those children there showing off their enthusiasm for this project,” Swanson said. “They learned the values of trees to our environment and this will hopefully instill pride in them in making our downtown and our city a beautiful place to live and work.”
The commemoration, marking the 150th anniversary of this country’s first Arbor Day, was the start of a NPP long-term beautification and greenification initiative. Though one tree was planted for this ceremony, followed by two more in that mini-park, it will be the springboard for many trees to be planted in the downtown and surrounding areas. Donata Dalesandro, Main Street Vineland Organization Team Chairperson, is the coordinator of the project for Vineland’s NPP initiative. Pedersen, who planted the initial trees, has planted trees around Vineland and is an integral part of this beautification program.
For more information on this and all Main Street Vineland events and initiatives, call the Main Street Vineland office at 856-794-8653, visit the organization’s website at www.TheAve.biz, or its Facebook page.
