Over 1,000 help to beautify streets

The campus and surrounding community are growing closer, one tree at a time. Penn students, community service groups, neighborhood residents and even students all the way from the University of Tennessee, planted over 100 trees along Walnut Street from 43rd to 48th Street on Saturday in a volunteer celebration of Arbor Day. Kicking off at around 9 a.m., the project was scheduled to go on until 4 p.m., but all trees were planted by 11:30 a.m. because of an unexpectedly large volunteer turnout. The event, planned by the Penn-initiated organization UC Green and other sponsors, began a month-long celebration on April 24, leading up to Arbor Day. Organizers expected 400 volunteers, but crowds kept flooding in throughout the morning, bringing the number of registered volunteers up to 1,200. Esaul Sanchez, director of UC Green, expressed his surprise to the crowd gathered in front of West Philadelphia High School, on the 4700 block of Walnut street. "We used to ask ourselves, 'What can we do?'" Sanchez said. "Now we're asking ourselves, 'What can't we do?'" Volunteers said they saw tree planting as an enjoyable way to beautify the neighborhood, help the environment and build relationships within the community. "Here at Penn, we live in a bubble," College freshman Katherine Lee said. "We need to reach out to the community because, even if it's just a tree, it can make a big difference." Public officials also recognized the community effort. "Not only will it make a big difference environmentally, but also in bringing the community together," said City Councilwoman Janie Blackwell, who represents West Philadelphia. "This is a wonderful community and this just makes it better.... It's a labor of love." Rashida Holmes, a Walnut Street resident, helped plant a tree in front of her house. "These are events that make this community so special," Holmes said. "It's a beautiful thing." Drawing over 500 Penn students, the tree planting proved especially popular among fraternities and sororities. Student clubs, athletic teams and independent groups contributed as well. Volunteers arriving late in the day were disappointed to find the tree planting already finished. Dmitry Koltunov, an Engineering sophomore and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, came late to help out his pledge class. "I wish I'd come earlier," Koltunov said. "This was a great opportunity to see and improve our surrounding community." Organizers assigned extra tasks, such as collecting rocks and depositing mulch, to occupy the eager late-comers. University President Judith Rodin said she was confident that this event will improve relations between the University and the neighborhood. "They worked together and they planted together," Rodin said. "We'll have beautiful trees and beautiful relationships."