SHELBY — The City of Shelby has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 40 years.
Last year, the city’s Shade Tree Commission began celebrating the annual recognition. It planted 20 trees around Shelby throughout 2023.
Commission members began this year’s observance by visiting a tree planted on Grand Boulevard by Shelby resident Mary Hooks.
Steve Lifer, Ward 2 Shade Tree Commission member, said Hooks donated the tree in honor of her parents, Ed and Helen Carothers.
“They (Ed and Helen) were always supporters of planting trees around the city,” Lifer said.
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The tree Hooks donated is located in the median along Shelby’s Grand Boulevard — within sight from her home.
“Mary’s (Hooks) house is just right across the way,” Lifer said. “She can see it (tree) from her house — which made it really nice.”
Shelby Mayor Steve Schag joined members of the Shade Tree Commission on Friday morning to read a proclamation at the site of the recently planted tree.
Commission members in attendance included Carol McLaughlin, Mary Ann Hawk, Eric Cutlip and Lifer.
“It was a nice, short ceremony that we got to do in the sun — instead of the rain like last year,” Lifer said.
Team effort
Hooks’ tree on the Grand Boulevard is one of 21 new trees Shelby plans to add to the city this year.
Lifer said Shelby is working on marking locations for the next 20 — which will be scattered throughout the city’s parks.
“The Parks Department has been very helpful and helping locate where we’re going to plant them (trees),” he said. “They’ve planted some in the past and help water them.”
Shelby’s Street Department assists with transporting trees from Arnold’s Garden Center to various planting sites around the city.
“It’s a combined effort of multiple departments within the city,” he said. “Everybody works together — which is a great thing.”
