(Can you say that headline five times fast?)

On April 29, Ada's third graders got a free tree seedling and tree planting tutorial from the Village of Ada. The mayor, village employees, and members of the tree commission met with students on the south patio to celebrate Arbor Day. The village came prepared with white swamp oak seedlings for the students to plant and the students came prepared with newly-learned information and drawings of trees.

The occasion was both fun and formal. Mayor Dave Retterer read the following proclamation #2022-01:

"Because, trees provide a good place for people and creatures to keep cool on a hot summer day, and

Because, trees amke a great place for many birds and animals to call home, and

Because, trees need our ehlp to fight bugs that hurt them, and

Because, trees make our world more enjoyable in many ways

I, David A. Retterer, May of Ada, Ohio do proclaim today as

Arbor Day in Ada, Ohio

and I ask everyone to help protect and nurture our trees.

Just to make it official, I have signed this proclamaition and have put the official seal of the Mayor of Ada, Ohio on it today, the 29th day of April, 2022.

--David A. Retterer

The mayor announced the three winners of a drawing contest, who were awarded books about trees as prizes. Students were asked to draw trees that do not grow in Ada. Three drawings were chosed by Mrs. and Mrs. Retterer:

1) Rainbow Eucalypus by Weston Acheson

2) Palm Tree by Addison Cole

3) Shamwari by Weston Acheson

Village Administrator Jamie Hall reviewed how to plant a tree: 1) Plan ahead; 2) Prepare the ground; 3) Plant the tree; and 4) Pray that it will thrive. He asked the students to stand up, stretch their arms out wide and spin around. Did they bump into a neighbor?

Trees also need plenty of room stretch out their branches. White swamp oaks can grow to some 50-60 feet tall. Tree commissioner Terry Kaiser explained that the seedlings--while small now--should not be planted near a house or overhead wires.

Ada has been designated as a Tree City since 1977. Ohio Northern University joined the Tree Campus USA organization in 2010. Ada's Tree Commission has been active in the management of the village's "urban forest," including all trees on properties owned by the Village of Ada. This includes every tree in a tree lawn as well as those in the Railroad Park and the public lands in the Grass Run Industrial Park.