Volunteers across the country will be giving back to their communities over the MLK Jr weekend in honor of the nation-wide Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service initiative. Locally, volunteers are invited to participate in Savannah Tree Foundation community service projects on Saturday, January 16, Sunday, January 17, and Monday, January 18 in honor of this Weekend of Service.

Leaves of the Tree will plant memorial trees in Nathanael Greene Park on Saturday, January 16. Leaves of the Tree is an inter-faith service in response to gun violence.  It is a joint project of Butler Memorial and First Presbyterian Churches and is supported by the Savannah Tree Foundation. The service and tree planting will take place at 10:00 am Saturday at the corner of Bull Street and 56^th Street.

On Sunday, January 17, volunteers will join the Savannah Tree Foundation on Whitefield Avenue to care for the trees the Foundation planted in 2014. Over 150 trees were planted along Whitefield Avenue to restore the area after the building of the Truman Parkway extension. The Tree Foundation continues to mulch and care for the trees to ensure their health. Volunteers will gather from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Hesse K-8 School to mulch the trees across from the school.

On Martin Luther King Jr Day, Monday, January 18, volunteers will again work along Whitefield Avenue to mulch the trees along the on and off ramps of the Truman Parkway. Volunteers should meet on Quail Run from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Road side trees are working hard daily for the benefit of our community. Trees are essential for absorbing carbon emissions from vehicles, mitigating roadway heat islands, and to protect waterways from stormwater run-off. Trees work hard to keep our community clean and safe by removing pollutants in the air and water. By properly mulching, watering, and pruning street trees, the community can help these trees grow to maturity and capitalize on their extensive environmental benefits.