President's Message 03.25.25

District Grant applications are due by the end of this month and we are considering applying for one in preparation for our 100^th year as the Souderton-Telford Rotary Club.  Our Centennial Committee has been thinking about planting 100 trees and I wanted to see where we might plant them all.

 

The picture above was taken in Holly’s Hill Park where Dan envisions a large pollinator garden along with many of the trees.  The park occupies 4 acres on the site of what was a cheese factory that used to collect sour milk from local dairies to make cheese.  There are benches, a walking path, and some existing trees, but there is a lot of open space that is currently not being used.  Planting dozens of native trees and a pollinator garden would restore the space for wildlife, making it more enjoyable for residents and helping to provide support for area farms and local gardeners.

 

Leon shared a design of the sculpture garden planned for the Souderton Community Park, which will have several new trees, and communicated an opportunity to plant many other trees to replace some of the ones that are diseased and dying.  Other community members have remarked on the need for more shade, especially on hot summer nights during Concert Sundaes.

 

In parallel, Jay Glickman has been working to purchase 280 native trees as part of an annual giveaway led by the Montgomery Township Shade Tree Commission.  The Commission has already figured out which trees grow best in the area and they have identified a nursery that will provide the trees at a good price.  Jay knew we were considering a tree planting project and brought a list of trees and costs for me to last week’s meeting.

 

Completing a Community Assessment is the first step in any District or Global Grant request and I am so thankful that our members are so knowledgeable about what the community needs and opportunities are that they can immediately provide input and ideas.  The second step is to provide a budget, and thanks to Jay, that was easy.

 

As I was walking with Dan, we passed through neighborhoods that some of you live or work in and we passed by the cemetery where Dan’s great, great, great grandfather, a Souderton founder, is buried.  That, in combination with the recent passing of my mother, made me think about the legacy we leave and the power of planting trees that will last for generations.  I look forward to talking with you more about plans for our centennial year on April 24, when Sarah shares details of what will be happening each month.

In Rotary

Kate Hoath 

President