Spring is bursting out all over the Town of Buchanan, just in time for Friday’s annual Arbor Day Celebration.
The hundreds of cherry trees in town are in full blossom and will provide the backdrop for the tree plantings that mark the annual Arbor Day.
The fifth annual Arbor Day Celebration will be held on the Town Park on Lowe Street Friday, April 1 at 10 a.m.
The town invites students of all area schools, home school students, parents with toddlers, day cares and the general public to attend this year’s special event that also will be part of the town’s ongoing Bicentennial Celebration.
Activities include a brief program with guest speakers including Mayor Tom Middlecamp, Botetourt County Board of Supervisors representative Terry Austin, Paul Revell with the Virginia Department of Forestry Tree City USA, Bob Boeren of the Virginia Department of Forestry and Carol Underwood of Valley Beautiful.
During the program, the group will unveil the Buchanan Arbor Day Donors Plaque and activities will culminate with the planting of Yoshino cherry trees, river birches, sugar maples, flowering pears and hornbeam trees. These trees have been selected for their seasonal interest with the long-term goal of adding to the beauty and quality of life for area residents.
The event will conclude with light refreshments provided by members of the Buchanan Special Events Committee and Buchanan Town Improvement Society.
The Town Park was initially established on land purchased by the members of the Buchanan Town Improvement Society in 1903. The group established ball fields, tennis and basketball courts and a playground for local children.
Following its completion, the park was donated to the Town of Buchanan and has served the community for 108 years. Early landscape plantings on the park consisted of willow trees and 12 linden trees planted by Buchanan Elementary School teacher Emma Martin and her students.
This year, the town received a $1,600 grant from Valley Beautiful to plant trees. This is the third consecutive year that the organization has supported the town’s revitalization efforts.
The Virginia Department of Forestry donated white pine seedlings that have been given to each student at Buchanan Elementary School, and will be available to those attending the activities on Friday.
The town is matching the money donated through the Valley Beautiful grant through public donations and in-kind services. For those who wish to participate, there is still time to make a donation to the Buchanan Arbor Day Fund. Applications may be found on the Events Page on the town website at www.townofbuchanan.com.
For additional information or to make a donation, contact the Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program at 254-1212.
