Claussen wins Arbor Day Poster Contest!

   The City of St. John celebrated its annual Arbor Day Ceremonies held at Hudson Middle School on Friday April 28th, which is the official Kansas and National Arbor Day. St. John city councilman Jim Lakey, representing our city and Barry Ragan, volunteer city forester helped in handing out the awards along with their teacher Dean Rausch..

     Kody Claussen's Arbor Day poster was selected for the top award among the posters entered. His poster was sent on to the district forester’s office in Dodge City. There, it was judged along with the other winners from the various cities entered throughout southwestern Kansas.

     Beau Weber placed second while Omar Ramirex placed third. Kenda Hacker, Tiffany Heaton, Ashlyn Koelsch, and Lindsey Higgins received honorable mention.

      Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd  placed winners received bird houses. Our honorable mention winners each won a gift certificate from Gambinos Pizza.  

     Our St. John Tree Board, comprised of Steve Schulz, Donna Tucker, Kathleen Fox, Lori Messick, and Barry Ragan, would like to give a big thanks to Hudson Middle School and especially to Mr. Dean Rousch for allowing us to sponsor the contest.

  "Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and tree care. The first Arbor Day was celebrated in the state of Nebraska in 1872, in response to a state proclamation urging settlers and homesteaders in that prairie state to plant trees that would provide shade, shelter, fruit, fuel, and beauty for residents of the largely treeless plains. On that first Arbor Day, more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska's communities and on its farms.

The Arbor Day idea was promoted by J. Sterling Morton, editor of the Nebraska City News, who later helped the idea spread to neighboring states and eventually to all of the United States and many other nations.

Today, Arbor Day celebrations are held in communities all over America, with the date determined by the best tree planting times in each area. Celebrations are held as early as January and February in some southern states, and as late as May in more northern locations. National Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday in April."

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