“Tree City USA” For The 27th Straight Year

Mark your calendar for Saturday May 1st.  That's because the celebration will go on, although this year's Arbor Day Event in Oxford will not be as big as usual to ensure that this Chenango County based village avoids a large crowd.  Saying that, there is still so much on the May 1st agenda at the LaFayette Park Bandstand in Oxford starting at 9am.  Besides a proclamation, three lucky fifth graders from Oxford Academy will be announced as winners of the Arbor Day poster contest.

This will be the 34th Arbor Day Celebration in Oxford.  While it is the 27th straight year that Oxford has been named "Tree City USA."  Wow that is impressive.  Then I got to thinking, what does a city need to have this honor bestowed on them?   First of all you need a tree board and Oxford has a great one of those with John Godfrey, Jeanie Petersen, Gray Stevens, Sandy Dain, and Jean Curtis.  Another step that a village has to take in earning this name is having an Arbor Day Observance which Oxford not only does that, they turn it into a community-wide celebration.

I have never been to Oxford on Arbor Day.  But why not spend Arbor Day in "Tree City USA?"  And if you and I get there early enough we will get our very own seedling tree!  That sounds very exciting so you better believe I have May first marked with a tree shape on my calendar.  As any other event right now, remember social distancing and to wear a mask.