Belton Horticulture Society honors former member with tree planting

Wednesday, 21 March 2012 by Matthew Girard

Members of the Belton Horticulture Society and students of South Belton Middle School plant an Eastern Redbud last Friday.The Belton Horticulture Society honored one of its own and continued its "Beautification Project" last Friday with the planting of a Eastern Redbud at South Belton Middle School.

The tree, which was planted outside the new school's cafeteria, was planted in remembrance of former member Lucille Parker who passed away in 2010.

Society President Deborah Northam said the group plants a tree every year in honor of a member.

"It's part of our beautification project," Northam said. "We believe in giving back to the community, so we plant a tree every year."

Along with several Horticulture Society members in attendance, several SBMS students also helped with the dedication and planting of the tree.

"It's really to let the public know how much we appreciate what they did in the club and for the community," Northam said of dedicating the tree to Parker.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation website, the Eastern Redbud has rosy, pink flowers that appear in April, with reddish-purple leaves changing from dark green, then to yellow in the fall. The Redbud forms a spreading crown and grows in full sun or light shade. The trees can grow up to 30 feet and is abundant throughout Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

SBMS Pincipal Tammy Becker said the district's newest school continues to receive great support from the community.

"As we've gone through the year, which has been a busy year, what I've been most impressed with is the support we've got from the community," Becker said. "Just for our kids to be involved, they get to see how much the community cares for them."

Becker said the tree will be a lasting image of the community's support of South Belton Middle School.

"It's something of lasting value that we will be able to remember as part of our first year," Becker said.

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