Rooted in the future: Club plants tree

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) Members of the Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club planted a tree outside the new entrance of Le Mars Community School in honor of Arbor Day. About eight of the club's members helped plant the tree Friday. The club honors Arbor Day every year and many trees around the community are growing thanks to club members. [Click to enlarge]

A new tree greets people at the south entrance of Le Mars Community School thanks to a local garden club which celebrated Arbor Day last Friday.

The Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club planted an ornamental flowering tree near the new entrance to the addition on the south end of LCS.

The group promotes tree planting because trees help the environment, putting oxygen in the air and removing carbon dioxide.

"And we also do this to beautify the city," said Mike Becker, a garden club member.

Planting trees might not exactly seem like "gardening" but Becker said they think outside of the (flower) box.

"We're not just into regular gardens -- we really entail anything that grows," he said.

Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska in 1872, started by Nebraska journalist, J. Sterling Morton. More than 1 million trees were planted that day, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.

Ten years later, Arbor Day was celebrated across the nation.

Marking Arbor Day with a tree planting is tradition for the Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club.

"We try to plant at least one tree in the area the garden club serves," Becker said.

The Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club includes members from the Le Mars area plus some from Remsen, Merrill, Akron and other communities in the Floyd River Valley.

The club, with about 45 members, takes care of the annual Flower and Horticulture Show at the Plymouth County Fair, which will be held in the old 4-H building this year, Becker said.

"We do things that involve any thing that you can put into the ground and grow, like planting the tree for Arbor Day, and take trips to fun places," he added.

Last year they traveled to Hollingsworth Peony Farm in Marysville, Mo. and Rainbow Iris Farm in Bedford, Iowa. This year they will visit McCrory Gardens at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. in August

Garden club meetings are open to people of all ages and are held at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month except August at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ.

After each meeting they have a program on different topics ranging from caring for your lawn to home remedies for controlling pests in your garden to proper tree care.

"We invite anyone who is interested in growing anything to come to a meeting," Becker said.