UWG News Item
Contact: UWG Public Relations Office
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
ucm@westga.edu
Arbor Day
February 4, 2006
CARROLLTON, GA - As part of Georgia’s traditions, every third Friday in February is celebrated as Arbor Day. The University of West Georgia will celebrate Arbor Day with the Carroll County School System on Friday, Feb. 17.
In celebration of this national tree-planting holiday, UWG will be giving away several dogwood trees that were donated to the school a year ago. The donated trees were potted in the university’s arboretum and have been growing for the past year. The trees now range from four to six feet in height, and will be given to schools in the Carroll County district. Each school will receive a tree and will do their own activities to celebrate Arbor Day.
“All of the schools are extremely excited about participating in Arbor Day. This is a great chance for the university and the community to collaborate and do something together,” said Elena Schulenburg, coordinator of Partners in Education and public relations for the Carroll County Board of Education.
Dating back to 1872, a journalist and politician by the name of Julius Sterling Morton planted his ideas in Nebraska and began a tradition for many years to come. Morton felt that a “tree-planting” holiday could greatly benefit both the landscape and economy of Nebraska. On April 10, 1872, this agricultural celebration known as Arbor Day was born. Since that day, Arbor Day’s roots have grown strong and woven their way into all 50 states on their own special day. Today, over 130 years later, the University of West Georgia and Carroll County schools will continue to utilize this holiday by working together in hopes to improve both the landscape and the economy, as well as strengthen the relationship between the university and Carroll County Schools.
“If we all work together who knows what we can accomplish. When we bring energy and enthusiasm into projects like this, you never know who you’re inspiring,” said Schulenburg.
For more information, or to help participate in Arbor Day, contact UWG’s Grounds Superintendent James Hembree at 678-839-5598.
-30-