Scouts from Arlington Troop 62580 plant.
UPDATED June 9: Members of Girl Scout Troop 62580 of Arlington, undeterred by pandemic restrictions, headed for the outdoors and began developing skills needed for their trees badge. The last required step was to plant a tree in a public space.
Winslow Towers, an Arlington Housing Authority senior residence, became the lucky recipient of not one but five dogwood trees. The girls planted the trees and also generously donated them using proceeds from cookie sales (not a requirement for their badge).
The planting took place on Saturday, June 4, with AHA Executive Director Jack Nagle and his family, Maintenance Director Chris Partridge, commissioner Jo Anne Preston and the senior residents of Winslow Towers in attendance.
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The event began with the girls reciting the Girl Scout Promise. Next, under the supervision of their troop leader, the seven girls, all sixth graders, carried the trees over to the desired spots, picked up their shovels and got to work.
Following the instructions to create holes in the correct dimensions and to loosen the roots, the Scouts labored diligently for two hours. Finally, each tree was firmly in its new home and thoroughly watered.
When the plantings concluded, Nagle said, “These trees have already transformed this area and will provide beauty and shade to our residents for years to come.”
He expressed gratitude to the troop and its leader for planting these five trees. He then invited the troop to have refreshments and mingle with the AHA staff and residents.
The reception was an intergenerational gathering. One senior resident and a Scout discovered that both learned through Scouting how to make a fire in the woods without using matches. Other residents express their thanks and told them how much they liked having young people there.
That will happen again, as the troop is planning to return in the fall and hold some of their meetings among the new trees.
Dec. 15, 2021: Town plants 457 trees in last 3 years
This news summary was published Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The writer, Jo Anne Preston, is a commissioner of the Arlington Housing Authority.
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