Roots Run Deep: SIC and Eldorado Garden Study Club Celebrate 18 Years of Arbor Day Giving

Southeastern Illinois College and the Eldorado Garden Study Club continued their cherished Arbor Day tradition this year with the donation of a beautiful flowering crabapple tree.

Rather than adding to the established grove on campus, this year’s tree was planted at the south entrance of SIC, replacing a tree lost to recent storm damage.

“We are so thankful for the Eldorado Garden Study Club’s steadfast support,” said SIC President Dr. Karen Weiss. “Even in a year when the grove wasn’t expanded, their gift restores beauty and balance to our campus landscape.”

The Eldorado Garden Study Club has donated a tree to SIC every Arbor Day since 2007—making this the 18th consecutive year of generous contributions that enhance the college’s natural environment and promote sustainability.

“Planting this flowering crabapple at the south entrance felt like the perfect way to continue our Arbor Day tradition while helping SIC recover from storm damage,” said Dr. Dana Keating, President of the Eldorado Garden Study Club. “It’s a small but meaningful act of renewal.”

Arbor Day is a national celebration of trees and environmental responsibility, first established in 1872 by Nebraska newspaper editor J. Sterling Morton. The tradition encourages communities to plant and care for trees, supporting a greener future for all.

About the Eldorado Garden Study Club
Founded in 1946, the Eldorado Garden Study Club has 44 members and is affiliated with the Central Region of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., and the District VII Region of The Garden Clubs of Illinois. For nearly two decades, the club has supported SIC’s campus beautification through annual Arbor Day tree donations.

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