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UNPRECEDENTED NATIONAL EVENT Many regional ISA Chapters have been doing Day of Service events for years. The scope of work ranges from volunteering tree work for a local Scout camp to simply serving food at a Thanksgiving soup kitchen. By uniting arborists across America for one national day of service, Saluting Branches will benefi t local National Cemeteries, and help raise the profi le and importance of professional tree work. Our goal is to get more than 8,000 man hours of arboricultural labor donated on a single day. This the fi rst time the tree care industry has sponsored a national service project on this scale. ARBORIST COMMUNITY WILLING TO HELP Thus far, the project has been well received by the arborists with whom we have spoken. "I love trees and have been wanting to do some volunteer preservation work for a while, I would love to help keep our veterans memorials clean and safe," said Charles Sauder of S&S Tree Service. "Coming from a family of veterans I appreciate the sacrifi ce made by our men and women in uniform. I'd love to be able to use my skills and passion for tree work to give back," said Aaron Danforth of Portland's Arbor Solutions Tree Care LLC. Ronald Veltre, of Broken Branch Tree Care in Ohio, expressed similar feelings. "We would be honored to show our appreciation for what they sacrifi ced for our country." This project touches many people on a personal level as well. "I have family buried in Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C. This is also of extreme closeness to my heart because I am a full time fi reman in Durham, North Carolina, and September 11th is a day that I will never forget," said Travis Vickerson of Snell Tree Experts. www.arborage.com ARBOR AGE n SPRING 2015 9 INDUSTRY EVENTS While not surprised with the feedback from arborists, it has been humbling to remember what a day of service for our veterans would mean to our community. HOW TO GET INVOLVED Making this event a success will take the efforts of many people. We need technical arborists with the skills and equipment to perform tree work, such as pruning and tree removals. There is also a need for groundwork — hauling debris, raking fallen leaves, and even weeding planting beds. Not a fi eld crewmember? No worries, you can still contribute by being a site volunteer helping with the logistics of the day or even just helping spread the word. Anyone willing to contribute is welcomed. If this is a project that speaks to you, there is a need for site leaders at each location. This person or team would meet with the manager of the National Cemetery a few weeks before the September 23, 2015 event to determine the scope of the work to be performed that day. In addition to determining scope, the site leaders will play a key role managing the work, equipment, and people at their designated cemetery on the day of service. A Saluting Branches sponsorship is also an opportunity to get your brand in front of the country's top tree care professionals, as well as gain exposure through media and public relations. We are seeking companies and individuals to help support this project fi nancially as well as through volunteer hours. Your involvement in this important initiative will help our industry honor veterans and make a positive impact for their loved ones. For more information about volunteering, sponsorship benefi ts, and current sponsorship opportunities, visit www.salutingbranches.org. Brandon M. Gallagher Watson is creative director at Rainbow Treecare Scientifi c Advancements, and is an ISA Certifi ed Arborist (#MN-4086A).