Davey Tree Flipbooks

O n Sept. 23, the first official day of fall, more than 1,100 arborists and tree care professionals awoke eager to suit up in their personal protective equipment (PPE) and jump into their bucket trucks and other company vehicles to travel to 27 National Cemeteries in 20 states across the U.S.—all for one reason: to give back to the nation's fallen veterans. The first "Saluting Branches: Arborists United for Veteran Remembrance" day of service was a huge success, uniting dozens of tree care companies across the nation to provide exceptional tree care in an effort to keep veterans' cemeteries safe, beautiful places for families and loved ones to visit. Davey employees played a large role in this event, making up more than 110 of the 1,100 total volunteers. At each of the 27 participating National Cemeteries, Saluting Branches coordi- nators named site leaders who were responsible to lead volunteers on site and encourage safe, high-quality tree care. Davey volunteers did just that; they worked all day to provide safe and effective tree care from the cemeteries' grounds up into the trees. Davey employees from Utility Services, Residential/Commercial (R/C) and Davey Resource Group (DRG) volunteered across the country to provide large and small tree and branch removals, raise tree canopies and prune and clear ground debris. For some Davey employees, Saluting Branches was much more than a volunteer event, but also a way to honor fallen family More than 110 Davey employees joined the same cause at National Cemeteries across several U.S. regions. "As a veteran, it meant a lot. For many veterans, this will be their final resting place. We need to make sure we honor the ones who served and ensure these cemeteries are not only a memorial but also a place of beauty." Terry Brier, district manager at the Portland R/C office, who volunteered at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon Coree Yingling climbs a tree to prune dead branches at Leavenworth National Cemetery. Clinton Moore completes hazard pruning to a sweet gum tree at Willamette National Cemetery. members who served time in the U.S. Military. For other Davey employees who served as veterans, it was a chance to pay respect to the fellow men and women who fought before, during and after their time of service. "As a veteran (U.S. Navy Seabees 1978-83), it was a way to help pay back to those that have served, along with their families, and to some that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom," says Jeff Newborn, district manager at the Kansas City R/C office. "It was awe inspiring to see the sea of headstones lined up in their pattern." Together, Davey employees and volunteers from other tree companies helped create beau- tiful and lasting change to enrich 27 National Cemeteries' landscapes across the nation. Arborists United continued on page 10 Pictured from left to right: Terry Brier, Clinton Moore, Nick Rossmiller and Noel Sandoval at Willamette National Cemetery. November/December 2015 | 9 Ryan Alderson and Luke Becker check tree branches for invasive diseases at Leavenworth National Cemetery.

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