By Maddy Vitale
Anne Organ scanned a row of seedlings and selected a flowering dogwood and a cornelian cherry dogwood.
“I will hopefully plant them over the weekend,” Organ, of Sea Isle City, said of her two seedlings.
Organ attended Sea Isle’s Arbor Day Celebration hosted by the Sea Isle City Environmental Commission, the Sea Isle City Garden Club and the Sea Isle City Historical Society & Museum Friday at the library, 4800 Central Ave.
People such as Vicki Feeney, a Sea Isle City Green Team member and Ron Kovatis, a volunteer for the Beachcombing Program, were on hand to pass out seedlings and provide information on how to care for them.
“They tell you how to plant the trees and why we should have them,” Organ said. “There are trees that can’t take wind and salt.”
Among the highlights, was a ceremony honoring Mike McHale, chairman of the Shade Tree Commission, who has been instrumental in getting the seedlings, working with city officials to beautify the community with trees and spreading education on the importance of trees.
Every year McHale and other volunteers, pick up trees from the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign in partnership with the New Jersey State Forest Nursery. The program helps communities replace trees that were lost during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
This year 1000 free seedlings, including oaks, black gum and sycamores were available to the public. Some other varieties included beach plums and bayberry trees, which are good for protecting the dunes, McHale said.
President of the Historical Museum Abby Powell presented McHale with a paver and announced that a sycamore tree would be planted in his honor for all his hard work and dedication.
“Hats off to you,” Powell said, adding that McHale has been an important part of the Shade Tree Commission since the 1980s and continues his dedication to the environment on the commission.
McHale’s daughter Judi DiBabbo sang a song about sycamore trees as Jim Maher played the guitar. McHale bounced his granddaughter Molly on his knee as he listened to the tune. His wife Marlene wiped a tear.
McHale, a member of the Environmental Commission and former Sea Isle Mayor, told the audience he was “totally surprised” by the honors.
“It’s nice to have trees. I do like trees,” he said with a laugh.
McHale thanked Powell and the city, especially Public Works Department employees, for their efforts to plant trees throughout the city. He said there are plans to replace 96 trees on JFK Boulevard and Landis Avenue with heartier trees that can sustain salt and wind.
McHale’s daughter Kristen McHale said of her father being honored, “He really does care so much about keeping the environment sustainable.”
Others were also recognized in the community for their work on the Environmental Commission and the museum.
Powell acknowledged the 32 people who volunteer their time at the museum.
“We are always looking for volunteers,” she said.
In addition, she thanked Dave Barry, Jennie Hadfield and Ada Steinberg, three longtime museum volunteers, for their dedication.
Steinberg could not attend, but Barry and Hadfield received plaques.
“Together they have 270 years of greatness,” Powell said of the three honored. “You are official honorary members of the museum.”
Environmental Commission members Eleanor Moore and Bob Thibault were also recognized for their service to the community.
Chairwoman of the Environmental Commission Annette Lombardo gave the remarks.
She described Moore, who is relocating, the “go to” girl who could always be counted on and will be missed. Thibault oversaw the beach cleanups.
Lombardo said this was the first year that Thibault was not a part of the beach cleanup and that he was very missed.
