West Long Branch celebrates Arbor Day

West Long Branch finally got to celebrate Arbor Day this year which had been postponed due to COVID. The Shade Tree Commission did plant four trees, one at each school in West Long Branch, and one at Borough Hall in the new Richards Cooper Park.

During  a recent concert at Franklin Lake, Mayor Janet Tucci, Councilwoman MaryLynn Mango and Ellen Whitford, Chairperson of Shade Tree Commission took a few minutes to talk about the importance of trees and the history of Arbor Day.

Mango, WLB Council liaison to the STC spoke about how Arbor Day was founded in 1872 and celebrated with the planting of one million trees in Nebraska. “Arbor Day is still very important and is now celebrated internationally,” Mango said.

Mayor Janet Tucci read the WLB Arbor Day Proclamation giving praise to members of the STC including Melanie Engel, Rachel McCarthy and Ellen Whitford.

“Remember the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the next best time is right now,” Mayor Tucci said.

Last year sixth grade girls of the West Long Branch Girl Scout Troop 1109 donated a tree to the WLB schools. They used their cookie funds and other fundraising money to purchase the tree to plant in front of the Frank Antonides school.

Last year the WLB Girl Scouts donated a tree that was plantedat; Frank Antonides School.Mayor Janet Tucci attended the ceremony and presented the girls with certificates of appreciation for their service to WLB. Back row; left to right; are Girl Scout Troop Leader Kristin Penta Arvanitis; Zoe Arvanitis; Samantha Riley; Mayor Janet Tucci; Claudia Bufano; Haley Russo; Jaelyn Smith; Superintendent Dr. Alfano; Alexandra Klein; and Betty McElmon School Principal James Erhardt. Kneeling; are Ayden Kampf; Emely Bahr and Samantha Preston.