Lakewood hosts Arbor Day
festivities at baseball stadium
LAKEWOOD — Gathered around a newly planted weeping European beech tree at FirstEnergy Park, home of the Lakewood BlueClaws, Lakewood officials and members of the community celebrated Arbor Day on April 24.
As part of the Arbor Day festivities, the Shade Tree Commission held a poster contest open to all Lakewood elementary students in grades one through six. Twenty-four students who best depicted Arbor Day in their posters were invited to help the township celebrate Arbor Day and were treated by Geoff Brown, general manager of the BlueClaws, to a baseball game that evening. The posters of the winning artists will be displayed in town hall.
The winners of the poster contest were: from the Ella G. Clarke School, Samantha Hadad, grade 2; Gordon Fordyec, grade 3; Lisette Agosto, grade 4; and Kiomara Lebron, grade 6. From the Clifton Avenue Grade School, Anna Kwistek and Quashawna Kelley, grade 1; Ismael Jan Similnia, grade 5; and Dennis Lester, grade 6. From the Oak Street School: Brandy Hampton Miller, grade 1; Sara Fisher, grade 2; Charles Nelson, grade 3; Ashton Alexander and Nicklas Thompson, grade 4; Ezekiel Subhan, Julian Berrios, Shamyra Smith and Brendan Lewis, grade 5; Sven Must, Christine Haupt and Nallely Rodriguez, grade 6. From the Spruce Street School, Emmanuel Santiago and Serron Andrews, grade 3; and Keera Worthy and Sabrina Mendez, grade 5.
Craig Theibault, chair of the Lakewood Shade Tree Commission, said, "We who inhabit the earth today have a great privilege. With only a little effort and knowledge and with a small expenditure of money, we can create a vital and living environment that will bring peace, joy and serenity for generations to come. As we begin this new millennium, we all must understand the importance of preserving, protecting and planting trees."
A weeping European beech tree, grown by F&F Nursery, Holmdel, was planted in the front promenade area of FirstEnergy Park. This tree, which will attain a mature height of 55 feet and a spread of 35 feet, was chosen by the township to match last year’s Arbor Day tree planted at the same site.
Mayor Ray Coles, Deputy Mayor Charles Cunliffe and Committeewoman Marta Harrison congratulated the poster contest winners and lauded the Shade Tree Commission for its work. Coles presented a proclamation to Thiebault and the commission members for their contributions in town, for sponsoring the poster contest and for conducting Arbor Day celebrations, including the tree planting ceremony.
"They are one of the unsung groups in our town. People may not notice at first, but when you walk by a tree like this, which in a few weeks will be a beautiful specimen, it gives us another reason to say thank you," Coles said.
Lakewood Committeeman Robert W. Singer, who also serves in the state Senate, presented a proclamation and joint legislative resolution on behalf of the Senate and General Assembly honoring the Shade Tree Commission and Lakewood’s annual Arbor Day ceremony, and for being designated a Tree City U.S.A. for the past 20 years.
The Shade Tree Commission is a five-member volunteer board established decades ago by the Township Committee. It serves as an advisory board to the Lakewood Parks Department, the Public Works Department and the Township Committee. The commission is the lead agency that sets guidelines for the development of Lakewood’s urban forest.
Members of the commission, all volunteers, include Robert Sislo, vice chairman, and members Rosanne Work, Mike Stillwell, David Hiberson and alternate member Naftoli Reich. Linda Stubbs is secretary, Ken Dix is liaison to the Lakewood Parks Department, and Mitch Dolobowsky is liaison to the Township Committee.
The Shade Tree Commission meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Lakewood municipal building, 231 Third St. The commission reviews site plans submitted to the township and orders plant material for areas throughout the township.