About the Project
In early 2025, we teamed up with the awesome Canton Park District to apply for a Tree Canopy and Workforce Grant from the Chicago-based Faith in Place organization. After a rigorous application process, we ended up being awarded the grant to plant and maintain three trees in Canton's Anderson Park - a redbud on the south side of the park, a chinquapin oak on the east side, and a northern red oak on the north side. The grant covers park district staff expenses for conducting and overseeing maintenance of the trees (especially during hot summers) as well as stipends for local youth groups who will help water the trees during the off-season. The youth groups will include the Canton Park District Junior Master Naturalists 4-H, the Canton Luckettes 4-H, the Trinity Lutheran Youth Group, and Scouts BSA Troop 124 (of which we have been the charter organization for decades). This grant is unique because it provides compensation for the youth groups, which is both an incentive for the groups and a way to plant seeds of interest in forestry work among young people in Canton. We are excited to care for God's creation with these wonderful community partners!
