The Bruce Company Plants A Red Oak In Capitol Park

Kathy Swingen with (l) Barry Paar and (r) Chris Ducklow of The Bruce Company. Images Courtesy of WGIF

Students, teachers, parents, officials from the Wisconsin DNR, politicians, and Green industry professionals were on hand at the Capitol in Madison for the Arbor Day Celebration. The events included greetings from Genny Fannucchi, Dick Rideout, and Secretary Matthew J. Frank of the DNR, Representative Mark Honadel, Kathy Swingen of The Bruce Company, Chief State Forester Paul DeLong, and Author Sheila Terman Cohen. Bucky Badger and Smokey Bear made appearances, too.

Bucky Badger watches as a Red oak is planted in Capitol Park in celebration of Arbor Day in Madison.

A large Red Oak was planted in Capitol Park to commemorate the day, thanks to The Bruce Company. Kathy Swingen of The Bruce Company organized the tree planting on behalf of the Wisconsin Nursery Association (WNA), in conjunction with the Wisconsin DNR's Division of Forestry.

School children watch with Bucky Badger as the Red oak is planted on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison.

A ceremony to recognize the winners of the two Arbor Day contests was also part of the Arbor Day festivities. Congratulations to this year's winners. More than 1,400 fourth graders across the state participated in the writing contest contemplating the topic, ''Why Plant Trees?''. The essay of Sydney Donath, Farmington Elementary School in Kewaskum won First place, Arabesha Garcia of James Madison Elementary in Sheboygan was named First runner-up, and Jonah Robert Kahl, Turtle Lake Elementary, Turtle Lake was named Second runner-up.

Kathy Swingen (second from l) and the Arbor Day contest winners pose with their awards.

Posters from over 1,900 fifth graders illustrating the topic, ''Trees are Terrific?EUR??,,????'?????<