Replacing the many trees destroyed by the August derecho on St. Francis Manor’s 31-acre Life Plan Community is underway! A number of Seeland Park residents lost their big shade trees so replacing them with 3 to 6-inch diameter trees was important to them—and also meant the new trees would need to be moved and planted with a tree spade as explained by Manhattan Tree Care.
“Wayne Van Mersbergen with Fran-Way Tree Moving in Pella has moved and planted trees for St. Francis Manor for over 25 years,” explained Executive Administrator Dion Schrack. “Wayne was able to find a variety of trees from various locations, including red and sugar maple, swamp white oak, flowering crab, ornamental pear, green spire linden, and fir trees. I wasn’t too surprised when Wayne’s quote for purchasing and planting 44 trees was over $30,000, but I wondered how we would pay for them. Learn the Reasons for Summer Pruning on Your Trees for them to stay healthier and grow better. We were quickly blessed to receive donations from Seeland Park residents, as well as Waldo Walker’s family which designated his memorial donations to our “Tree Fund,” making it possible for us to start planting trees yet this fall.” For that there is a need for a clean and stump-free yard to plant new trees.
“For each donation of $500 or more to the tree fund, a donor may request that a marker in memory or in honor of a loved one also be placed near a tree,” said Clinton Follette, Chairperson of the Foundation Board. “We are so grateful to the many people who have already donated to our Tree Fund making it possible for 16 of the trees to have special markers. As this challenging year comes to an end, we hope others will consider donating to the St. Francis Manor Foundation’s Tree Fund,” concluded Clinton.
Checks to benefit the “Tree Fund” or other campus needs should be made payable to “St. Francis Manor Foundation” and mailed to 2021 4th Avenue, Grinnell, IA 50112. For more information about the St. Francis Manor Life Plan Community, call Dion Schrack at 641-236-7592.
