Sue and Bryan Green
Transformational Gifts
Sue and Bryan Green share why they gave the first transformational gift to the Highway of Heroes Tree Tribute and continue supporting Trees for Life’s work to grow leafy canopies in local communities.
Where did their passion for nature come from?
One could say that Sue’s love of nature and trees is in her genes. Her dad, Len Cullen co-founded Weall and Cullen Nurseries. Bryan will say Sue regularly loses track of time in the garden, but both are proud of the over 20 trees they’ve planted on their property over the years, including one they planted in honour of Len.
“We do appreciate the environmental benefits that trees offer, but we love the structure of the trees, the shade that they give us, the colour in the spring versus the colour in the fall; the way they transform throughout the seasons; the way the birds land on them and, and the sense of peace they bring.”
How did they become involved in the Highway of Heroes and Trees for Life and what inspired them to make their largest gift at the time?
The couple feels deep gratitude for their lives and models the Cullen family’s belief that the value of money is what it can do vs what it can buy, typically supporting local charities with significant donations. When Mark, (Sue’s brother and co-founder of the Highway of Heroes Tree Tribute and President of Trees for Life), announced the plans to plant trees along Highway 401 to honour military heroes and to absorb the carbon released by the vehicles traveling along it, they were in. They could see the project’s impact on the communities it would touch and they wanted to honour Mark’s vision. This gift was theirs and the campaign’s first 6-figure donation. It gave the campaign the credibility and financial foundation it needed to succeed. To date, they have provided over $300,000 in transformational gifts that have forever altered the trajectory of Trees for Life.
Why do they continue to support Trees for Life?
The success of the HoH campaign has raised awareness and solidified the opportunity for continuing the tradition of planting trees to honour heroes and fight climate change. While Bryan and Mark share a common passion for military history, Bryan comes from a family of firefighters, so honouring those who choose to serve and protect in this way, also holds meaning. Bryan and Sue believe that choosing to honour a hero however defined, keeps memories alive, be it celebrating children, special birthdays or anniversaries, or times spent with friends and family. It also means more beautiful trees right across the country for generations to come. The Green family is dedicated to a legacy of giving back, an appreciation of nature, and building a culture of philanthropy.