Politicians Fling Dirt At Ceremony

The seeds for an Arbor Day tree were planted, figuratively speaking, when the frozen ground was covered with snow.

Back in December and January, the village of Niles asked people to bring in their worn-out holiday lights. They collected 1,280 pounds, and netted about $200 after recycling them. 

That money, said Rosemary Palicki, a Niles trustee and chairman of the village's Environmental Practices Committee, was used to buy a young white oak--Illinois' state tree. 

From garbage, new life

"We put the money right back into the village in the form of the tree," Palicki said. "It's two and a half inches in diameter."

Earlier:

Village officials, volunteers and environmentally conscious citizens gathered Thursday at the Niles Community Rain Garden to plant the sapling at an Arbor Day ceremony. Thursday was actually the day before Arbor Day, which is the 27th, but it fit the schedule better, officials said.

Largest functioning rain garden in Cook County

Mayor Robert Callero heralded the Niles Rain Garden, which has received praise for being an innovative way to prevent stormwater runoff and clean the water supply, as the largest functioning rain garden in Cook County. Assistant Village Manager Steve Vinezeano thanked the many sponsors of the rain garden and the volunteers who work on it. 

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Palicki thanked members of the Environmental Practices Committee, including Joe Annunzio, Donna Hriljac, Bob Johnson, Steve Vinezeano and Chris Zalinski, for lots of volunteer hours.

Watch the video to see officials scooping shovelfuls of earth to create a bed for the new tree.

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