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VALLEY — A total of 380 trees were given away Saturday morning outside Valley City Hall. It was the Valley Tree Board’s 25th annual tree giveaway, and it took place in a year Valley has been a member of Tree City USA for 30 years.
“We really appreciate the turnouts we get for this every year,” said Tree Board President Suzie Britt. “There was a really long line when we started at 8 a.m., but it went down really fast. Having tickets and limiting each ticket to one tree helped speed it along. We are grateful to have had some beautiful weather today. It hasn’t been like this for some of out past tree giveaways.”
Valley residents taking part in the tree giveaway received their choice of a pear tree, crabapple tree, Japanese magnolia (or tulip) tree or a Nantucket Viburnum with their ticket .
Drawings were held to award some prized trees. Jeff Peach was the winner of a camellia bush, Chris Herren was the winner of a butterfly bush, Joe and Teresa Doughtie won a miniature gardenia and Lauren Powell took home an August Beauty gardenia.The youngest member of the Valley Tree Board, 14-year-old Milner Letson, was present for the tree giveaway.
He and parents Jacob and Jade Letson gave away a gardenia and a pear tree in the drawing.
Those who know Milner swear he has two green thumbs. He has a love of gardening and a knack for growing things.
“He started it when the family was at home together during Covid,” said his mom. “He started with a fig tree and it has grown from that.”
He’s into all kinds of gardening in the backyard of the Letson home in the Fairfax community. He loves to grow vegetables, especially tomatoes.
He is recognized as the Valley’s own Abel Gardner.
Abel gardening and able landscaping are businesses that offer landscaping or flower delivery services.
“The Tree Board looks forward to these tree giveaways each year,” Britt said. “It’s a good way for us to recognize Arbor Week, and we love hearing stories from those who come back every year to get a tree. They tell us of how their trees have been growing, has tall they have gotten and if they are giving shade or bearing fruit. They also tell us that they are happy to be a part of making Valley a beautiful place to live. Some people return with children or grandchildren to our giveaways. Thank you, Valley citizens both new and old, who have made our annual tree giveaways such a special and meaningful event. We also want to thank Public Works Director Patrick Bolt and his crew for helping us with our giveaways.”