May 11, 2018 2 min read

Rotarians have planted trees in the name of fellowship, friendship and community service since the early 20th century. These trees, which can be found worldwide, have grown into enduring monuments of Rotary’s ideals.

Over the past year, Rotarians around the world planted an estimated 1 million trees to help improve the environment.

“The Rotary Club of Monongahela accepted a challenge from Rotary International President Ian Risely for Rotary Clubs to plant one tree for each of its members,” said David Clark, president of the Rotary Club of Monongahela. “We understand that environmental degradation worldwide is having a disproportionate impact on those who are most vulnerable, and we wanted to do our part to help. As Rotarians we agree with President Risely that protecting the environment is everyone’s concern.”

The Rotary Club worked with Washington County Superintendent of Parks Kevin Garrison, who suggested that the club plant maple trees around the Ninja playground, which had recently been installed near the Henry Covered Bridge in Mingo Park. To secure the money necessary to purchase the trees, the club held a Comedy Night that raised more than $4,000.

Members and their families planted the trees on Earth Day, April 22.

Chartered in 1921, the Rotary Club of Monongahela performs numerous community service projects, including distributing Rotary dictionaries to local third-grade students and providing annual scholarships to graduating seniors of Ringgold High School. The club orchestrated a relief project for victims of Hurricane Harvey and purchased water filters for three schools in Thailand. It recently helped to distribute food at the Monongahela Food Pantry and is preparing for its annual Monongahela Rotary Rubber Duckie Derby on July 8 at the Monongahela Aquatorium.