The Manteca Garden Club and the City of Manteca celebrated Arbor Day Thursday by doing their part to beautify and bring new life one of the city’s oldest parks.
On this day, their concerted effort made possible the planting of 17 trees at Yosemite Village Park along El Portal Avenue.
Cody Ross, who is the city’s Parks Maintenance Superintendent, shared a story from earlier that morning.
His crew consisting of Brian Olden, Humberto Webb, and Ramon Arvizu began planting the new trees at 7 a.m. when a longtime neighbor took notice of the beautification efforts. She had been coming to the park for about 60 years.
“She thanked us – now she can enjoy the park with her grandchildren,” Ross said.
The new trees consisted of Oklahoma Red Buds, Sycamores, Zelkovas, Pine, and Maple, with some replacing some of the older trees lost over the years.
He and Michele Newman, who is the president of the Manteca Garden Club, were on hand to accept the donation of trees for this project at a recent Manteca City Council meeting.
For the past 33 years, the city of Manteca has been designated a Tree City USA – the Arbor Day Foundation Program recognizes green communities across America since 1976.
Newman recognized longtime Manteca Garden Club volunteer Tom Powell for coordinating the Arbor Day event with the city. He also assisted with the planting of trees.
Other members who helped out on this day included Pam Dias, Barbara Stoner, and Marnie Constantino.
Annual Garden Tour
The Manteca Garden Club, a local nonprofit, will be having its annual Garden Tour on Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Those attending can explore six local gardens.
Cost is $25 with tickets available at several locations throughout the area including the Manteca Senior Center, Park Greenhouse, Rainforest Nursery, Thompson Building Materials & Nursery, Tipton’s Stationery & Gifts, Tracy’s Nursery & Gardens, and Delta Tree Farm.
This is the Manteca Garden Club’s biggest fundraiser, with proceeds contributing in scholarships to local high school students, school gardens, and city beautification projects, to name a few.
For more information, log on to www.mantecagardenclub.org.
