If you’re driving around Rochester this week, you might notice the newest edition to the Rochester Council on Aging. A brand new Cherry Tree, donated by Covanta SEMASS, welcomes you as you turn into the Senior Center’s parking lot.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the generous donation of the tree,” said Sharon Lally of the Senior Center. “It really encompasses the whole image we are trying to create here. We want an atmosphere where people can rest and relax, and it’s so great to have a community partner like Covanta to share with us the love of tree planting.”
SEMASS brought the tree to the Senior Center on Friday morning where it was well received by members of the Council on Aging. The gift was very time appropriate, as Friday, April 27 marks Arbor Day. As a whole, April boasts a lot of environmental awareness all over the world.
“For us, this is our Earth Day celebration,” said SEMASS Outreach Coordinator Patti Howard. “We really wanted to come down to the Council on Aging to plant something.”
The tree is still young; however, it is expected to grow to reach at least 30 feet tall. Each year, it will grow as much as one to two feet. While it looks small now, there’s no doubting the impact it will have on the community on an environmental level.
“Trees help remove Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere,” said Mark Davis of SEMASS. “We are happy to plant trees because they are sustainable. Our business believes in helping the environment by combusting waste to keep methane out of the atmosphere.”
The Council on Aging is already home to several trees that have been planted in memory of loved ones who have passed away. But Howard thought the new tree could symbolize something different.
“When we first started meeting here, I noticed there were a lot of trees for friends that had passed and I really want to plant a tree for a new friendship between the Council on Aging and Covanta SEMASS,” she said. “We helped out last year with the donation of a new van, but we really wanted to commemorate our friendship with a tree.”
The Council on Aging is not only grateful for its newest tree addition, but for the support they receive from the community as a whole.
“This building is a real community effort,” said Lally. “We could not run this whole operation without the community we have.”
By Katy Fitzpatrick