Arbor Day has been a staple Spring celebration in Green River for more than 30 years, but a longtime volunteer who helped grow the event for the past 11 years will leave the board responsible for the event.
For many people, Dottie Krauss’ name is synonymous with Green River’s Arbor Day celebration.
Each Spring, she approaches businesses for donations to the annual event which are used as raffle prizes for those attending the event.
This year, Krauss said businesses donated $3,330, the most the Arbor Day event has received. Donations included gardening tools, gift certificates to local businesses, and framed artwork.
Krauss is quick to acknowledge the help she receives from other tree board members Misti Zimmerman and Joann Wyant, saying the event wouldn’t have gone as well without their assistance. However, Krauss’ long service with the board didn’t go unnoticed, as the Green River City Council honored her with awards thanking her for her service last week.
Krauss said she started with the tree board after reading an advertisement in the Green River Star seeking new members.
“I saw it and thought it was perfect for me,” she said.
Krauss said Arbor Day is specifically important to her because it helps residents realize how important trees are to Green River, saying it also helps promote awareness to children. Arbor Day is hosted in a different park each year, where trees are planted to help improve the park.
This year, at Apache Trail Park, two Kentucky coffee trees and three blue spruce trees were planted. The park also received a tree transplanted from the U.P. Depot building.
“One of our responsibilities as a tree board is to make residents realize how important trees are to the community,” she said.
Krauss said trees are not just for beauty, but can provide a noise buffer, a home for birds and wind protection.
Krauss said she plans to travel more, planning to go to Arizona and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She said she may also go to Hawaii.
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