By Debbie Adams
The Town of Vinton celebrated Arbor Day at the Vinton Public Library on April 24. Asst.
Planning and Zoning Director Nathan McClung welcomed special guests to the event – Vice
Mayor Laurie Mullins, Town Council member Sabrina McCarty, Senior Area Forester Denny
McCarthy, Area Forester Rachel Kim, Town Manager Pete Peters and other members of town
staff, and Kennah Hebert, senior library assistant for the Vinton Library.
Mullins reminded the audience that 2025 marks the 23rd anniversary of Arbor Day in Vinton. The
town has been named as a Tree City USA every year since 2002.
She thanked the Virginia Dept. of Forestry and the Roanoke Valley Regional Commission for
their grant award for the trees which have been planted this spring on town property along Glade
Road across from the Glade Creek Greenway.
She also expressed appreciation to the Roanoke County-Vinton Branch Library for allowing the
town to hold the Arbor Day celebration there and planning the children’s activities for the day,
and to Creative Nursery and Landscapes personnel for their efforts.
Mullins then read the Arbor Day Proclamation issued by Vinton Town Council at its meeting on
April 15, which says, “In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of
Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees. This holiday, Arbor Day, was
first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska and is now observed
throughout the nation and the world. Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by
wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate temperatures, clean the air, produce
oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable source giving us paper, wood for
our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products. Trees in our town increase
property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community.
Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal.”
Forester McCarthy reiterated the benefits of trees to a community and introduced the honored
guest of the day, Smokey Bear, who was enthusiastically welcomed by the children. Hebert read
stories and lead the children in songs about trees, before introducing an Arbor Day craft activity
– assembling paper trees, of course.
