Aurora Noon Lions plant a tree on Earth Day
Celebrating Earth Day 2022, Aurora Noon Lions Club members planted a tree Thursday, April 21, a day before the official holiday.
The event, in collaboration with Fox Valley Park District, was part of the district's memorial tree program. Noon Lions planted a swamp white oak tree at the district's Blackberry Farm in Aurora.
The district's nursery provided the tree. A memorial plaque marking the planting site will be added.
Prior to the planting, Noon Lions president Arvid Meyer led a brief ceremony at which explained that the Aurora club is joining Lions worldwide to plant trees and take an important step toward reversing the trend of deforestation.
Meyer said, "More than 80 percent of the earth's original forests have been lost in the past century. We continue to lose more forests at an alarming rate every year.
"If the current trend of deforestation continues, we may see millions of species of plants an animals become extinct. This tred may forever change our ecosystems and negatively impact hundreds of millions of people who depend on them for their livelihoods."
He concluded with, " I dedicate this tree to Noon Lions of the past 100 years, to current members serving our community and to future members who will continue to serve."
Other speakers were Lion Susan Koepke, event coordinator and Frank Johnson, park district business development director.
After the tree planting, Lions hosted their first quarterly dinner meeting at Luigi's Pizza in Aurora.
Prospective members who are interested in community services are invited to attend on the first and third Thursdays of the month at Luigi's Pizza, 732 Prairie St. in Aurora.
Call (630) 921-1307 or visit auroranoonlions.org for more information.
Founded in 1922 in Aurora, Aurora Noon Lions Club is celebrating its 100th anniversary year. The club focuses on hands-on service and humanitarian projects. With the motto "We Serve," Lions volunteers focus on supporting causes including hearing and vision impairment, hunger, the environment, diabetes and childhood cancer.
Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world. Some 1.42 million members in more than 48,000 clubs serve in over 200 countries and geographic areas worldwide.
Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects and extended service impact through the Sycamore-based Lions Clubs International Foundation. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit lionsclubs.org.