In 2006, Riverside resident and 1956 Riverside-Brookfield High School graduate Donald Spatny started the RBHS Tree Bank as a way for reunion classes to give something meaningful back to the community where they went to school.
In its first year, the effort raised $1,500, an amount matched by the Frederick Law Olmsted Society. According to Michael Collins, Riverside’s village forester, the planting project will be a joint effort between the village’s forestry department, Frederick Law Olmsted Society and RB Ecology Club. Some 12 trees are expected to be planted this fall using money from the Tree Bank.
Three trees will be planted on the rim of Swan Pond, which lost some trees to Dutch elm disease this year. Nine more will be planted near the Fairbank dam along Fairbank Road east of Barrypoint Road.
Spatny stated that he’s encouraging RBHS classes returning for their 10th, 25th, 40th and 50th reunions to participate in the program to help the village replace its aging tree stock.
“I know that many former RBHS grads remember their days at RBHS and in Riverside with great fondness and want to make a contribution to their old home town,” Spatny said. “It’s a way to benefit those who come after us just as we benefited from those who came before. What could be a better memorial for a class or an individual than beautiful living trees growing in Olmsted’s landmark village?”
Contributions of any amount are accepted from anyone, are tax deductible, and will be applied solely to planting new, appropriate trees in the public areas of the village at sites designated by the village forester, according to Spatny.
Checks can be made out to the “RBHS Riverside Tree Bank” in care of the RBHS Ecology Club, Riverside-Brookfield High School, 160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside, Ill. 60546.