Calgary Lions club members planting 5,000 trees this spring
There once was a novel, written in 1943 by Betty Smith, called A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Now, thanks to a bunch of Lions Club members, there might one day be a sequel called 2, 500 Trees Grow in a Dog Park in Thorncliffe.
That's because almost a dozen members are volunteering their time in the northeast Calgary community of Thorncliffe June 16 and 17 to plant native seedlings.
"We're planting pine and larch and Saskatoon and poplar," said Otto Silzer, Lions Club centennial tree planting chair.
Silzer explained that the project is tied to the Canadian Lions celebrating the 100th anniversary of Lions Clubs International being in Canada. As part of the initiative upwards of 500 Calgary club members committed to plant 50,000 trees over the next several years, including 5,000 this year.
"We're planting 2,500 trees in this dog park," said Silzer. "I think this is a worthwhile project for the Lions to get involved with and the betterment of the community and city."
Brian Sherret lives across the street from where the trees are being planted. He's impressed by the work of the volunteers in such a big space.
"I think it's great," said Sherret. "If I'd would have known about it a little earlier I probably would have volunteered too, I used to plant trees a long, long time ago."
Brian Stevenson has been a member for 55 years. He served as international president for its 1,400,000 members in 200 countries worldwide. Stevenson says the clubs are no stranger to planting trees.
"We had a motion by one of the past presidents about 10 years ago, he challenged the Lions to plant a million trees across the world," said Stevenson. "We surprised him because we planted 15 million."
IMPROVING COMMUNITIES
Eric Buttle has been volunteering with the Lions for 40 years and is a regular in its eye glasses recycling program. He likes improving communities close to home.
"It's just self-esteem," said Buttle. "Knowing that I'm doing something for the community."
Once finished in Thorncliffe the volunteers will head further east to Falconridge for some afternoon planting to improve yet another community.
"The old saying the sun never sets on the British Empire," said Stevenson. "It never sets on Lions and we change lives every minute of ever day for the better."
Learn more about Lions clubs here: www.lions clubs.org
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.