Story and photos by Monty Siekerman
Today is National Arbor Day, so it was fitting that the Ada Tree Commission hold its annual Arbor Day celebration for third graders at the school this morning. And, the youngsters received a white pine sapling to take home and plant.

Sixty-six third graders have been studying trees, how to grow them and their value. Emphasis this year was on destructive insects. Commissioners asked the children questions about trees. They knew the answers.

In turn, the grade schoolers asked questions of the commissioners, such as, “What is a pirate’s favorite holiday?”  The answer: “Aaaarrrrgggghhhhbor Day,” of course.

On a serious note, Mayor Dave Retterer, Village Administrator Jamie Hall, and Assistant Village Administrator Angela Polachek all talked about trees. The Tree City USA flag, which Ada won last week, and the Tree Campus USA, which was presented to ONU,  were unfurled. Don Traxler, commission chairman, emceed the event.

Ada Kiwanis Club President Jack Jeffery presented a $500 check from the club to go towards the betterment of trees in town.

Mayor Dave Retterer read a proclamation designating today Arbor Day in Ada, and, as a personal project, gave awards to several students for art projects pertaining to trees. The Mayor gave books about trees to the top three winners.

One hopes that the 66 white pines (Pinus strobes) given to the students will live, thrive, and make Ada a better place in the future. The third grades have learned a lot about trees to make that happen.

PHOTOS:
Ada Schools has bugs, big ones. And bugs can damage trees, as third graders have learned. Quick, get the bug spray, a large can. Playing the part of a damaging insect (no one could guess which kind) is Angela Polachek, assistant village administrator.

• Appropriately on National Arbor Day, workers were in town caring for trees. Here, Don Hull Tree Service of Kenton begins taking down a hollow sugar maple believed to be at least 100 years old. Trees have life spans and this one is ready for the woodpile. The sawing is being done in the 400 block of South Johnson in the tree line of a house that was once the home of the ONU president. U.S. President William Howard Taft visited Ada about a century ago and lunched at this house. Perhaps he saw this tree at that time as a young sapling.

•Village Administrator Jamie Hall and third graders pretend to be growing trees.