Event Recap: Global Youth Service Day - Tree Planting, Drumming, more...

The LGBT Center had the pleasure of helping out with making metro St. Louis more green! Blue & I planted trees at The Green Center's park near the corner of McKnight and Olive in U. City.

I know, you're thinking the heavy Home Depot-type. Actually, these were just sprouting and looked more like a stick with roots than a tree (good for my 110-pound small frame). Planting trees were amazingly easy, far easier than I remember from Channel 9's perspective. Most of the seedlings were planted about a foot apart. By the time Blue and I arrived, much of the underbrush had been cleared and the ground had softened from an earlier rain. We were able to dig holes (about a foot or so deep) without any problems. Many of the trees were sprouting already. Some looked dormant, but our guide, Susan Mintz from The Green Center, assured us that they were alive and well... and ready to be planted!

Blue and I, being the ever-creative beings that we are, decided to name the trees: Dusty, Sparky, Sprouty, Bartholomew, Chaka Khan (thanks to Andy from Art of Living), and Rick James. We were hoping that this would encourage the trees to grow strong and tall. We'll check back to see how we did.

The most enjoyable part of this adventure was that the whole day focused around youth participation. I remember a couple of little boys being determined in their planting, looking very seriously at the ground to make sure they did not step on any seedlings. I was emotionally moved. I like seeing kids take an initiative, effort, and care into what they do (which is rare nowadays).

After the planting, clearing, digging and such, we all packed up and returned to The Green Center for a potluck feast. To my surprise, I was able to eat a lot of the tasty food (Blue & I are both vegan). Unfortunately, we did not continue on to the drumming session, which looked like a lot of fun. However, Blue & I made some new friends and reconnected with existing ones.

Hope your Earth Week was equally as informing.

To learn more about The Green Center
and their upcoming activities, visit:
http://www.thegreencenter.org/

Photos: (upper left) Blue, Executive Director of The Center, and Susan of The Green Center [in black hoodie], and Norm of "Art of Living St. Louis" after a lot of digging...; (lower right) A determined young tree planter looking for the perfect spot... Photos by Andy Nunberg.


Shän
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The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com