Trees NC Arbor Day Celebration March 21st

Trees NC and City Provide Free Trees on NC Arbor Day

Randolph County Celebrates Arbor Day Friday, March 21 at the Randolph Mall

Established in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton, Arbor Day is a day when citizens are encouraged to plant, show appreciation for and care for trees.  Morton (1832 – 1902) was a Nebraska newspaper editor who served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland.

In Randolph County, local environmental organization Trees NC has hosted the observation of Arbor Day since 2004.  This year’s Arbor Day Celebration will be held in the Center Court Area of the Randolph Mall, Friday, March 21 between 4:30 and 6:30 PM, and will include fun activities for the entire family.

“In light of the recent devastation of hundreds of trees in our city and county – and the costly damage that occurred as a result of falling trees, this year’s Arbor Day provides an opportunity to reflect upon the importance of proper tree care and maintenance,” said Chad Phillips, an ISA Certified Arborist who volunteers for Trees NC.

The schedule of the celebration is as follows: at 4:30PM, several civic, education and government organizations will be on hand with technical information about trees and their value to the community.  More than 300 tree seedlings will be distributed, at no charge, to anyone wishing to plant a tree this spring. Flowering Dogwood, Arizona Cypress and Hazelnut Trees are the varieties available, courtesy of the City of Asheboro and Trees NC.

At 5:00PM, Asheboro Mayor David Smith will present awards for this year’s Arbor Day Art Contest - all artwork is currently on display in the window of the Books-A-Million Store.

Following the presentation, the Charles W. McCrary Elementary School’s UNITE Club drum group and  Musical Mustangs choral group will provide entertainment. 

The Official Ceremonies for Arbor Day 2014 begin at 6:00PM as the Asheboro Police Department Explorer Post performs a Flag Ceremony.  Following the ceremony House Representative Pat Hurley will present the official N.C. Governor’s Arbor Day Proclamation.

Sponsors for the 2014 Trees NC Arbor Day Celebration are Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, Chick-Fil-A, Books-A-Million, The Randolph Mall,  The North Carolina Zoo, The City of Asheboro, ACTrees, Randolph County office of Cooperative Extension, Randolph County Water Quality Task Force , Piedmont Triad Regional Water Partnership, Storm Water Smart, Randolph County Master Gardeners, The Randolph County Office of North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, The Randolph Guide and The Courier Tribune

The TREES NC mission is to inspire and inform citizens at the grassroots level to work together as environmental advocates in their communities. In this capacity TREES NC has engaged thousands of individuals in tree plantings, stream clean-ups, litter pick-up walks and gardening projects.