Honouring Health Workers and Creating Healthy Urban Forests
Volunteers on Plant Day
Just ahead of Earth Day, on a chilly Saturday nearly 100 volunteers braved the elements to plant a commemorative grove of 400 trees at the Sherway Trail, adjacent to The Trillium Health Queensway Health Centre, in Etobicoke, ON. The planting was completed in partnership with the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority, to support their restoration efforts of the forest and habitat near Etobicoke Creek. And it was done in honour of the hundreds of thousands of health workers in Ontario that support our health and well-being, as a part of the Trees for Health program.
At the event, the Barrett Family Foundation (BFF) announced an incredible $1 million donation to Trees for Life to help grow Trees for Heroes projects across Canada over the next 4 years. The Barrett Family Foundation was joined by Bob Barrett’s Toronto-based company, Polytainers Inc. whose employees provided the bulk of the volunteer workforce for the day. Those volunteers joined forces with Trillium Health Partners Queensway Health Centre employees, providing a unique opportunity to plant trees alongside some of the very same heroes being honoured.
"My sincere appreciation to Trees for Life for organizing this Earth Day tree planting in honour of frontline health workers at Trillium Health Partners," said Dr. Anita Rao, Anesthesiologist at Trillium Health Partners. "I am so touched by the dedication and recognition of our work in caring for our patients. A tree planting event is a special tribute because we know that spending time in nature is healing to both the mind and body. By honoring our front-line clinicians by beautifying grounds near our hospitals, you are contributing to the wellness of our community and our patients."
Trees for Life is grateful to the Barrett Family Foundation for their exceptional generosity and continued support. With this new pledge, we’ll be able to plant many more trees across Canada and honour many more heroes in the process.