11th Annual Arbor Day Celebration to be held on April 26
ROCHESTER, MN— Rochester Public Utilities (RPU), with partners Maier Tree & Lawn and Rochester Park and Recreation, will host the 11th Annual Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to1 p.m. at Mayo Park behind the Mayo Civic Center.
The fun and free community event will feature a variety of activities and displays that will include: A tree giveaway of over 3,000 trees, a free lunch of hot dogs, corn on the cob, chips, cookies, and soda will be provided (while supplies last), and live music from Paul Mayasich and his band, Real American Made Music. Tree experts will also be on hand to answer questions on tree planting and care, along with many other vendor displays.
Children will be able to enjoy Smokey Bear, balloonists, a scavenger hunt, temporary tattoos, bean bag toss, and much more!
At noon, an awards ceremony will honor Rochester elementary school students who were selected as finalists of the Arbor Day poster contest, as well as this year’s overall winner, Lydia Bell, a fifth grader at Washington Elementary. Lydia will receive a $100 Barnes & Noble gift card, her winning poster will be featured in advertising, and a tree will be planted in her honor at Washington Elementary School.
Co-Sponsors of this year’s event include: Hy-Vee, Minnesota Energy Resources, Sargent’s Gardens, and Seneca Foods.
Participants include: Olmsted Soil & Water Conservation District, People’s Energy Cooperative, Quarry Hill Nature Center, RNeighbors, Rochester Public Library, Rochester Public Works, University of Wisconsin-Steven’s Point, Zumbro Valley Audubon, and Zumbro Valley Woodland Council.
In the event of rain, the celebration will be moved to Rochester Community & Technical College’s Field House.
About Rochester Public Utilities
As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers. Water customers number more than 36,000. RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive. Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.
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