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North and South Hamilton 3rd Graders Plant Trees in Celebration of Florida Arbor Day


By Greg Staten, Hamilton
County Forester and
Heather Futch 4-H/FCS
Agent Hamilton County

 Arbor Day is a tree-
planting holiday that
started out'm 1872 in Ne-
braska as a proposal to
help establish trees on its
vast treeless plains. It
was the idea of J. Sterling
Morton, and over one
million trees were plant-
ed on that first Arbor
Day. It became a national
holiday in the 1880's and
is now celebrated in
many other countries as
well. The national Arbor
Day in the United States
of America is usually
recognized later in the
spring, while here in
Florida it is the third Fri-
day in Jantiary. ..
 Florida Arbor Day was
observed on January 19,
2009 at. South Hamilton
Elementary School in
White Springs and North
Hamilton Elementary
School in Jennings with
the planting of a Varie-
gated Leyland Cypress
tree on each of the school.
campuses. These pro-
grams were conducted,
jointly by the Florida Di-
vision of Forestry and
Hamilton County Exten-
sion.
 A short presentation
was made to the third,
grade. classes about the
importance of trees in
our everyday lives .and.
the many useful benefits
and products we get


from trees by Florida Di-
vision of Forestry Hamil-
ton County Senior
Forester Greg Staten.
Heather Futch of the
Hamilton County Exten-.
sion Service discussed 4-
H's 100th Anniversary
this year in Florida and
the Million Tree Project
that is currently going on
in 4-H Clubs across the
country. The 4-H Million
Trees Project was con-
ceived after a Pacifica 4-
Her decided to do some-
thing big to help combat
global climate change.
The goal of this project is
to mobilize the approxi-
mately 7 million 4-H
youth across the U.S. and
Canada to participate in
E project planting
1,000,000 trees across the
continent. Ultimately 4-'
Hers hope to help reduce
atmospheric C02.
 After each presenta-
tion, one of the Variegat-
ed Leyland Cypress trees
was planted by Greg
Staten and Greg Hicks
along with assistance
from some of the stu-
dents. The students com-
mitted to keep them wa-
tered, and special fertil-
izer donated by Roe-
buck's Nursery was giv-
en to the teachers to help
care for the trees in the
future. The students
were each given a pine
tree seedling donated by
the Florida Division of
Forestry to: take. home
and plant. In addition,,
each student was given a


NHE students participated in Arbor Day activities. (Photo Submitted)


SHE students participated in Arbor Day activities. iPnoto Submiledi


bag of Smokey Bear
items to remind them of
the importance of wild-
fire prevention. Also, a
special thanks for the
two Leyland Cypress


trees which were donat-
ed by James and Barbara
Roebuck of Roebuck's
Nursery for planting at
the schools.
 Below is an article


 made


 BUSINESS GRO

,THROUGH MARKETING DURING .. ..

 DOWN ECONOMY



 ^n^ ... co^ ^oou Ue ,


written about the recent
Florida Arbor Day
events at North and
South Hamilton Elemen-
tary Schools -that I am
submitting for publish-
ing in the Jasper News.


presentations were
jointly by the Flori-


da Division of Forestry
and the Hamilton Coun-
ty Extension Service Of-
fice (4H). The attached
photos show the two
groups of kids involved,
and one photo shows
them helping to plant a
tree.


To oi.r Valie


 READY TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS?
CALL US TODAY. WE'RE READY TO GET TO WORK FOR YOU!
 386-792-2487


SHE students plant a tree for Arbor Day. (Photo Submitted)

Pine Needle Basket Workshop
 The Florida Department of Environmental Protec-
tion's Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State.Park
in White Springs will host a pine needle basket
workshop on Saturday, April 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 1
p.m.
 Nancy Gildersleeve will teach the traditional Flori-
da art of transforming long leaf pines into baskets by
coiling and stitching with raffia fibers. A small bas-
ket will be finished in class and the techniques of
shaping, starting and finishing a coiled basket will
be mastered. After learning these techniques stu-
dents should be able to make pine needle baskets of
any size or shape on their own.
 The workshop fee is $15, including park admis-
sion. Participants should bring a bagged lunch.
 For additional information or to register for the
workshop call 397-1920 or visit www.stephenfos-
terCSO.org. To learn more about the park, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org/ stephenfoster.


 Little Miss Wlid

 Azalea Contest
 The Wild Azalea Festival in White Springs is com-
ing up March 21. We are seeking participants in the
Little Miss Wild Azalea contest, which is at 2 p.m.
Contestants will receive savings bonds: First Place
$500, Second Place $250, and Third $100. Girls ages
one to 10 years old from Hamilton, Suwannee and
Columbia Counties are eligible..
 For more information. call White Springs Town
Hall 397-2310


 NOW 9PEN




 4O RIZON


 www.horizonpediatrics.net
 AMBER S. INGRAM, ARNP
 NEIL MELVIN, ARNP
 611 SE Demorest St.
 Office Houri:
 t. _; Mon.-Frn. a.m.- p.m. '.
 386-362-KIDS ":
 5i43-)


THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26,2009


THE JASPER NEWS. JaSDer. FL


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