Re-Treeing Western New York

If you live near Buffalo, NY you know that the 2006 “October Storm” hit the area fast and hard with heaps of snow.  No one was ready for all the snow or the lasting impact it would have on the area.  After the snow melted and the community was able to go outside to see the damages the storm had done, everyone knew it would take a long time to get things back to the way they were.

That point in time is when an ambitious and caring group of 40 individuals formed together to try and make a difference.  The organization was established and named “Re-Tree WNY.”  To date, Re-Tree WNY has planted 24,991 trees in the Western New York area and aren’t stopping there!  Their current goal is to plant 30,000 trees in public areas affected by the 2006 storm.

This past Saturday I was lucky enough to volunteer with Re-tree WNY through a professional organization I am a member of: the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA.) We woke bright and early to meet the rest of the volunteers in downtown Buffalo.  We had a brief training and then were off to plant trees in the streets surrounding the Buffalo medical corridor! After only a couple of hours of work, the trees were planted and the once bare streets were now lined with beautiful trees.  It was a true example of the old saying “many hands make light work.”

Not only was it a fun morning, but it was also a rewarding experience knowing the air in Buffalo will be a little fresher from here on out.  If you are interested in helping Re-Tree WNY reach their goals, visit http://www.re-treewny.org/calendar.html to see their upcoming events and to sign up for volunteering opportunities.