Once Upon a Tree Marks 25th Anniversary for Friends of Trees

Portland, September 27th, 2014. 300 supporters joined the celebration at Exchange Ballroom to mark 25 years of Friends of Trees. Founded in 1989, Friends of Trees strives to empower people to improve the natural world around them through a simple solution: plant trees, together. In 25 years, Friends of Trees has planted more than a half a million trees in neighborhoods and green spaces in the Portland metro area, Vancouver, Eugene and Salem. Organizers raised $104,000 at the gala auction. (photo credit, Lucia DeLisa)

Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish and Tess Jordan, Friends of Trees’ Board President, pose on the rooftop of the Exchange Ballroom during Friends of Trees’ 25th Anniversary Gala, Once Upon a Tree, on September 27, 2014. Photo by Lucia DeLisa.

Friends of Trees’ longtime volunteer Conan Harmon Walker (left) of Legacy Health Systems, has personally planted more than 20,000 trees with the organization. He poses with (left to right) former Friends of Trees Executive Director Lin Harmon Walker, Mary Rose Navarro of Metro (a former Friends of Trees employee) and Barbara Scharff (also a former Friends of Trees employee)

Ninkasi Brewing Company unveiled the Friends of Trees Pale ale at the organization’s 25th Anniversary Gala

From Friends of Trees:

Friends of Trees is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to bring people in the Portland-Vancouver, Salem and Eugene-Springfield metro areas together to plant and care for city trees and green spaces.

Through ourNeighborhood Treesprogram, homeowners buy discounted trees to plant with their neighbors at weekend plantings.

Through our Green Space Initiative, trained crew leaders guide volunteers at weekend events to restore green spaces.

Since Friends of Trees was founded by Richard Seidman in 1989, we have planted nearly half a million trees and native plants. You can download our 2013 Annual Report, Donor List and our most recently filed 990 here.

Friends of Trees is a member of the Coalition for a Livable Future, Alliance for Community Trees, Oregon Community Trees, and EarthShare Oregon. We meet all 20 Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Standards for charities.

To determine the value of planting trees, check out this tree benefits calculator provided by Casey Trees and the Davey Tree Expert Co.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.