Submitted by The Dunellen Shade Tree Commission
On Friday April 24th, 2015, the 14th annual celebration of Arbor Day was held at Washington Memorial Park where Boy Scouts from Dunellen Troops 29 and 119 assisted members of The Dunellen Shade Tree Commission with a ceremonial tree planting. Three (3) cherry and two (2) plum trees were placed along Washington Avenue by the group as part of the celebration. In all 54 trees will be placed around town under the Community Stewardship Incentive Program. This grant of $20,000 was obtained through the efforts of Councilman Kenneth Baudendistel. “I would like to thank The Mayor the Honorable Robert J Seader, the Borough Council, the members of the Shade Tree Commission the department of Public Works and our Boy Scouts as all have a desire to beautify our town” stated Councilman Baudendistel. He is also very proud of the Boy Scouts in troop 29 and 119. As “The Boy Scouts embrace the values that make America a Great Nation and our community a better place.”
The idea for Arbor Day originally came from American pioneer J Sterling Morton. Originally from Detroit, he moved to Nebraska in 1854 and was a lover of nature. Morton was also a journalist and soon became editor of Nebraska’s first newspaper. Given that forum, he spread agricultural information with enthusiasm, specifically regarding trees. Nebraska at that time was a treeless plain and trees were needed to keep soil in place, and to provide fuel and building materials. Morton encouraged civic organizations to join in his tree planting efforts.
On January 4th, 1872, Morton first proposed a tree planting holiday to be called Arbor Day at the State
Board of Agriculture. The date was set for April 10th, 1872. On March 12th, 1874, Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by Governor Robert W. Furnas. Today the most common date for the state observance is the last Friday in April.
Dunellen Shade Tree Commission
Kenneth Baudendistel
Cindy Beam
Sue Butterworth
Cate Walsh
Robert Rios
Erica Grun
Ellen Mackie
Boy Scouts
Troop 29
Sean Buttito
Philip Kazokas
Everette Pfeiffer
Andrew Lucash
Daniel Lucash
Aiden Shay
Aiden Slattery
Daniel Robitaillee
Troop 119
Nicholas Christian
Ryan Ferrer
Owen Markus
If you are interested in joining the shade Tree Commission contact Borough Hall at 732-968-3033. If you are interested in joining Boy Scouting contact the following:
Troop 29- Harry J Buttito Jr at Jofrdy@aol.com or at 732-207-8193
Troop 119 –Mike Markus at 908-227-7212
Shade Tree Commission members pose with the Boy Scouts (l-r) Erica Grun, Aiden Slattery, Aiden Shay, Everette Pfeiffer, Cate Walsh and Sue Butterworth
Planting under the watchful eye of the Shade Tree Commission (l-r) Owen Markus, Daniel Robitaillee,Philip Kazokas, Aiden Slattery and Sue Butterworth
(above l-r) Always make sure the green part of the tree is pointing up. Owen Markus, Scout Master Steve Lucash, Aiden Shay and Everette Pfeiffer
