Lakewood Ranch YMCA gets a native tree for Florida Arbor Day

Members of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club stood in a semicircle holding shovels as Chris Wright from Terry’s Tree Service started digging a hole behind the Lakewood Ranch YMCA.

“Who is going to do the honors?” Wright asked of the group.

Anita Machlin, the president of the garden club, and Sylvia Abdelsalom, the vice president, stepped forward. As Machlin held the Gumbo Limbo tree, Abdelsalom poured soil into the hole.

Photo by Liz Ramos

Within a few minutes, other members stepped forward to have their hand in planting the native Florida tree Jan. 19 in honor of Florida Arbor Day.

“It’s a spectacular tree that has so much potential,” Machlin said. “The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club is just happy to provide it and do a service to (the YMCA). We hope that eventually people will be able to rest under the tree. There will be a lot of shade. It’ll be interesting and gorgeous to look at.”

Machlin said she chose the Gumbo Limbo because it’s made for a large space like the one available behind the YMCA. It’s also suitable for the southern Florida environment, it can enhance the environment and feed wildlife, and it will be beautiful as it grows.

Donna Augustyniak, the senior coordinator for the Lakewood Ranch YMCA, said the YMCA has developed a wonderful relationship with the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club, and she was thrilled to have the club plant a tree on the YMCA’s campus.

“It’s good for the Y and our community,” she said. “I hope to maybe make this an annual event and maybe we can get more people out and more interested in gardening because a lot of older people are looking for things to do.”

Photo by Liz Ramos

Augustyniak said having the garden club available to answer questions about planting is a valuable resource.

Besides planting the tree, members had the opportunity to learn from Wright, who is a certified arborist, about tips and tricks on planting and taking care of trees.

“As gardeners, our job is to learn and then educate the public,” Machlin said. “That’s why we have these special things and if you can continue to get a good community attendance, it will get them involved in understanding how to treat the environment.”