One Day One School Program Planned
On Tuesday, March 11, the Townsend Tree Board is sponsoring a One Day One School Program at Townsend School District #1. Plans are to remove the four large Siberian elms on the east side of the high school on Cedar Street, grind the stumps, level the boulevard, put in a sprinkler system, and sod the boulevard – all in one day!
Tree Board Member, Jim Edelblut, a Tree Board member and owner of Pruning Plus, saw an article in Tree Care Industry magazine about the One Day One School Program. He approached the Tree Board and said “Let's do this in Townsend”.
The One Day One School Program was started in Whippany , New Jersey by Ace Gallagher of Ace Gallagher Stump Grinding Services. He observed hazardous trees lining a path while walking his son to school. He called his tree pruning and removal friends in the area and they gathered at the school and cleaned up the area in one day. The Townsend One Day One School Program will be the first One Day One School Program in the western US.
Jim Edelblut of Pruning Plus, Bill Amsk from Green Tree, The City of Townsend Maintenance Crew, Glenn Reynolds of Northwest Tree Service of Stevensville, Patrick Plantenberg of Plants Etc, and Don Walters of Irrigation Parts House have agreed to donate their equipment and time to complete the project. Other contributors include Watson's Irrigation Specialist, Inc. Clint Watson's Technology Education class will also be helping. Other volunteers include Ron Cheever, Tom Helm, John Stoner, Daryl Blumhagen, members of the Tree Board, Rotary Club, Broadwater County Development Center , and the School District janitorial staff.
The One Day One School Program will save the City and School District almost $7,000. Five new trees will be planted on the boulevard on April 24, Arbor Day as part of the Tree Board Arbor Day activities.
The Tree Board regrets that the second block of Cedar Street from 2 nd to 3 rd Street will be closed from Monday evening, March 10 th , until the large trees are removed and the debris cleaned up. The project will start at 8 am and last until 6 pm. If anyone else would like to contribute or help with the project, please contact Patrick Plantenberg at 266-5265.