The TREE Fund Report
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TREE Fund 2009 Special Events Fundraising Tops $500,000! A Message from the Executive Director A Message from TREE Fund President TREE Fund Awards $183,000 in Grants and Scholarships in 2009 TREE Fund Partners with Chicago Trees Initiative to Keep Chicago Green TREE Fund Welcomes New Trustees
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TREE Fund 2009 Special Events Fundraising Tops $500,000! It was a “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” kind of year. Despite a generally anemic economy, the TREE Fund’s annual special events fundraising efforts -- the STIHL Tour des Trees and the “Raise Your Hand for Research” Gala Auction -- have already surpassed $515,000, with more than $10,000 in additional funds still in the pipeline as of this writing. 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees This year’s ride was a landmark event from nearly every angle. Thanks to 66 full- and partial-Tour riders, nearly $239,000 was raised, averaging more than $3,600 per rider. Consider that 12 of those 66 riders rode just a portion of the Tour (with a fundraising requirement of just $600 per day) and the overall average becomes more impressive. The real heroics are revealed in the list of the 2009 Tour’s top 10 fundraisers: Frazer Pehmoeller (NY), Tom Armstrong (VA), Dick Rideout (WI), Greg Hill (CAN), Courtney Schumm (OH), Ben Tresselt III (PA), Warren Hoselton (CAN), Don Roppolo (WI), Hallie Dozier (LA) and Tom Ordway (IN), all of whom surpassed the $5,000 mark in their fundraising campaigns. Frazer, Tom, Dick and Greg have each raised more than $6,000! On August 17, Title Sponsor STIHL Inc. recognized Frazer, Tom and Dick as the top three fundraisers to date and awarded them merchandise certificates in the amount of $500, $250 and $100, respectively. Sponsor support of the 2009 Tour set new
records as well. This year the TREE Fund
introduced a new management model
for the Tour that included significant new
sponsorship opportunities. STIHL Inc. accepted
the leadership role as the Title Sponsor,
Platinum Education sponsor Davey Tree was joined by Gold Leaf sponsors New England ISA, West Coast Arborists and Wright Tree Service as well as APS, Collier Arbor Care and New Jersey ISA at the Silver Leaf level. Bronze Leaf level sponsors and supporters included Arborwell, BC Hydro, Fanno Saw, Gamma Shield Shade Tree, Illinois Arborists, Lewis Tree Service, New York State Arborists, PacifiCorp, Plant Health Care, Tamke Tree Experts, Tech Tree Experts, True Wireless and Vermeer. During the 2009 Tour riders planted or dedicated a total of 16 trees in eight different states. Along the way, Elaine Mattern of Davey Tree coordinated educational events at nearly every stop, many featuring the dynamic energy of Tim Womick and his new tree climbing cohort Chad Brey. Tim’s irrepressible enthusiasm, along with his drum, have become a hallmark of the Tour. Thanks to Tim and the riders of the 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees, there’s a family in Arizona whose kids will never forget the day they planted a tree in Boston Commons. None of the events of the 2009 Tour would have been possible without the support of the 100-plus volunteers who devoted countless hours to fine-tuning the logistics and then showed up to cheer and feed the riders, as well as plant, prune and dedicate the trees. Volunteers Jeff Carney, Clem Desjardins and Elaine Mattern collaborated with the TREE Fund staff and the Tour sponsors and underwriters to engineer the most complex Tour des Trees in history. They recruited a squadron of volunteers from the ranks of the New England, New York and New Jersey chapters of ISA, plus Tour sponsors and local organizations to get the job done. From Tinton Falls, New Jersey, through Central Park in New York City and on to Roger Williams Park, Rhode Island, the Tour rolled on wheels greased by its volunteers. Their efforts made for a smooth ride -- even when it was uphill and sometimes in the rain! Exit polls of the riders were unanimously positive in their assessment of the 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees. They, like us, are already looking ahead to next year’s Chicago Loop Tour, making plans to keep the momentum going and the wheels turning well into the future. Rider registration for the 2010 Chicago Loop Tour opens January 4, and sponsor recruitment is underway. Contact Mary DiCarlo at mary. dicarlo@treefund.org for more information. “Raise Your Hand for Research” Gala Auction The 2009 Raise Your Hand for Research Gala Auction also held its own in a year best remembered for giving most fundraisers migraines. It was an upscale evening that featured destinations from Broadway to British Columbia and everywhere in between, beautifully handcrafted woodwork, jewelry, climbing gear, wine, artwork and the biggest 50/50 raffle payout in the Gala’s history. 50/50 winner Ken Karp took home a $3,050 windfall, a nice return on his $20 investment!
John Goodfellow and Kirstin Vadheim put the proverbial cherry on the sundae with their donation of a prized single malt Scotch, hand carried from Scotland, to be offered for bid over multiple years in the tradition of the legendary “Bottle o’ Bourbon” (which raised more than $17,000 for tree research during an 8-year bidding marathon that ended in 2008). The ISA reprised its role as host sponsor of the Gala, contributing $10,000 to defray the costs of the event. Crown Sponsor National Grid and TREE Fund Partners Asplundh, Bartlett, Duke Energy and Northeast STIHL, together with Silver-Leaf sponsors Sherrill Tree and Penn-Del ISA, and Bronze sponsors Midwestern Chapter ISA, Rotochopper and West Coast Arborists ensured that the entirety of the proceeds from the bidding (plus some) would be dedicated to funding tree research and education programs. By night’s end, more than $68,000 was earmarked for research and a host of satisfied bidders carried new treasures and exciting travel plans home with their luggage. Volunteers also played a starring role in the success of this year’s Gala Auction. Veteran TREE Fund volunteer Wendy Robinson supervised a small army of creative, talented and motivated merchandisers, making sure the silent auction display showed its myriad offerings to full advantage. Arriving auction guests were greeted, registered and assisted by TREE Fund Trustees, Liaisons and an unprecedented number of dedicated volunteers sporting formalwear and fresh flowers (thank you, John Lloyd). Next year’s event promises to be as (or more) wonderful, with a professional auctioneer manning the podium in the ballroom of the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers on July 26, 2010. Save the date, and contact Mary DiCarlo at the TREE Fund if you’d like to donate an item or sponsor the event. Asplundh’s 15th Annual Golf Outing Persistent fog and drizzle reminiscent of Scotland didn’t dampen the spirits of the golfers who turned out for Asplundh’s 15th annual Golf Outing to benefit the TREE Fund. A hardy band of 48 golfers braved the temperamental New England weather to take on the course at the Newport National Golf Club on July 26. Event sponsors Asplundh, Altec and Terex were joined by 13 hole sponsors to ensure that a good time was had by all. In the end, the TREE Fund received a check for the proceeds totaling $11,000 to support scholarship, research and arboricultural education programs. We’re grateful to Asplundh for their stewardship of this annual event, and to the golfers who proved their willingness to golf for a good cause, no matter the weather. - § - |
contributing $100,000 in combined cash and
in-kind support to the TREE Fund’s signature
event. The media and public relations expertise
brought to the Tour by STIHL and the Meridian
Group, under the direction of Anita Gambill
and Kate Davis, resulted in unprecedented
publicity and media attention for this year’s
Tour, significantly improving the event’s visibility
Inaugurating the TREE Fund Crown Sponsor
category was National Grid with a $50,000
contribution. STIHL and National Grid
headlined a lengthy 2009 sponsor roster, which
included TREE Fund Partners Asplundh Tree
Expert Co., Bartlett Tree Experts, Duke Energy
and Northeast STIHL. The momentum they
generated eventually produced more than
$343,000 in TREE Fund and Tour des Trees
partnerships, sponsorships and underwriting
commitments. For the first time in the Tour’s
history the costs of running the event were
100% covered by its sponsors, leaving 100% of
the funds raised by the riders available for tree
research, education projects and scholarships. 
Our diverse and exciting
live auction catalog
included enticing
vacation and excursion
packages donated by
APS, Asplundh, Davey
Tree, Lewis Tree Service,
Merlin Flight School,
RFP Mapping LLC,
Sherrill Tree, Trees, Forests &
Landscapes, Inc., and Wright
Tree Service. Imaginative and
highly marketable offerings, many
with a distinctive regional flavor,
came from ISA Chapters in Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, MidAtlantic,
Midwestern, Minnesota, New
England, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pacific Northwest, Western
and Wisconsin. All told, it was one
of the strongest catalogs ever offered for bid
by the TREE Fund.