Seven ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?'” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
You’re invited to leave a legacy in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at one of our seven tree planting and restoration events this weekend. The events are in Portland, Vancouver, Eugene, Springfield, Salem, and Tualatin. Three are neighborhood plantings and four are green space restoration projects. Please check our online calendars for dates and locations.
No pre-registration is necessary for these events. Just show up by 8:45 am dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy shoes. Our plantings start promptly at 9:00 am and run until about 1:00 pm. Friends of Trees provides gloves, tools, and guidance from our trained crew leaders—as well as hot coffee and breakfast treats! No planting experience is necessary.
Last year nearly 400 volunteers (some pictured above) joined us for four Martin Luther King Jr. weekend events. We anticipate even more volunteers this weekend.
The following groups have already made plans to plant with us: Starbucks St. Johns, Evergreen High School Key Club, the Portland Waldorf School, the River Warriors, Boy Scout Troop 95, Metropolitan Services, and Ecova. If your group is interested in helping, please email us in advance at [email protected] or [email protected].
Portland Timbers defender Eric Brunner, goalkeeper Jake Gleeson, and Timbers mascot Timber Joey will join Timbers staff at our Springfield planting at Harvest Landing Park on January 14. The planting is part of the team’s Dribble Oregon statewide tour this month. Dribble Oregon events include free youth soccer clinics, opportunities to meet Timbers players, and community service events. Friends of Trees has organized a tree planting in Salem on January 15 with Salem’s urban forestry group and a Springfield planting on January 16, led by our Friends of Trees Eugene staff.
We’re honored to welcome Oregon State Rep. Michael Dembrow, Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen, and REI’s Janet Schmidt at our I-205 Multi-Use Path planting by the Parkrose transit station on Monday. The planting is sponsored by REI Portland, and it’s part of our three-year partnership with ODOT, Metro and others to green the 16-mile walking and cycling path that parallels the freeway.
We’re also honored to welcome Metro Councilor Carl Hosticka at our Monday planting at Brown’s Ferry Park in Tualatin. He planted with us in Durham City last Saturday, too.
Many thanks to Hands On Greater Portland and United Way of the Columbia-Willamette for helping bring community volunteers together for so many Martin Luther King Jr. weekend of service projects.
–Pictured above is Friends of Trees mascot Garry Oak with Timbers fans in April (Photo by Tom Atiyeh)