Westlake Garden Club celebrates Arbor Day

Westlake Garden Club members, from left, Margaret Schulz, Kathie Carnall, Jean Smith, Regina McCarthy and Alberta Ricciardi plant a fir tree in Clague Park.

The Westlake Garden Club planted a Concolor Fir at the Founders’ Walk at Clague Park on April 27 in celebration of Arbor Day. For the past two decades, the garden club has planted a tree somewhere in Westlake every year on Arbor Day. 

Club member Kathy Molner coordinated the event for over 20 years and, this year, turned the reins over to Kathie Carnall. Kathie worked with the Westlake Service Department and Cahoon Nursery, who donated the tree, to determine the location and type of tree to plant.

At the ceremony, Kathie noted that many Ohio trees are under threat not only from logging, but also from diseases, pests and pollution and everyone needs to become aware of this problem. To educate the public of this problem, The Holden Arboretum is hosting a special exhibit, Vanishing Acts: Trees Under Threat, April 27 through October 28. 

The garden club recognizes the importance of trees in our everyday life and wants to keep Westlake’s designation as a Tree City USA. Mayor Dennis Clough presented the garden club with a proclamation at the ceremony and a plaque is installed near the tree.

Thank you to Kathie Carnall for coordinating this year’s event, Cahoon Nursery for their generosity in donating the tree, to the Westlake Service Department for their involvement in planting the tree, and to Kathy Molner for her many years and tireless effort coordinating past Arbor Day celebrations.