Eldorado Garden Study Club celebrates Arbor Day with Bicentennial planting at SIC

HARRISBURG - The Eldorado Garden Study Club celebrated Arbor Day by donating an October Glory Maple Tree to Southeastern Illinois College.

Dr. Mary Jo Oldham Morgan, Garden Club Arbor Day chairwoman, opened the event by explaining that 2018 marks the planting of the Illinois Bicentennial Tree, in honor of the state's 200th birthday. A special bicentennial sign was erected by the tree as a reminder.

"The goal of Arbor Day nationally is to plant 50,000 trees by April 27. The Eldorado Garden Study Club is proud to be part of this event and assist in reaching this goal," Arbor Day committee member Dr. Dana Keating said. "It's great that we can include SIC as partners in our efforts to contribute to our own community while participating in a national event."

President of the club Jan Cleveland added, "Our hope is that students, faculty and visitors will enjoy this tree for years to come."

The club has been donating trees to SIC for about the past 12 years in honor of Arbor Day to establish a grove for the campus.

The Eldorado Garden Study Club was organized in 1946. Currently it has 25 members and is part of the Central Region of the National Garden Clubs Inc. and the District VII Region of The Garden Clubs of Illinois. Throughout the years, the club has worked on various projects which encourage the love of gardening and floral design and its members work to encourage environmental responsibility in themselves, their neighbors and in their community.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization. A million members, donors, and partners support its programs to make the world greener and healthier. For more information, visit www. arborday.org.