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| Rotarians at Work Banner | Group Photo for April 21, 2018 |
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| Planting a Queen Palm | Completed Palm Planting |
In a worldwide effort to make environmental issues part of Rotary's service agenda, 2018 Rotary International President Ian H.S. Riseley has asked all Rotary Clubs to plant at least one tree for every one of its Rotary members in 2018. It is his hope that by planting trees, Rotarians will renew their interest in, and attention to, the preservation of the state of our planet.
Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club decided that its Rotarians-At-Work Day project would be dedicated to planting 40 Queen Palm Trees, 40 Crepe Myrtle trees and 40 Bougainvillea plants at Poway High School on behalf of its 61 members. By funding the purchase of the plants and working with Poway High School, RB Sunrise Rotary is hoping to build connections to the our community.
On Saturday April 21, 2018, RB Sunrise Rotary Club and Poway High School Football Team participated in a Phase One of this project. The volunteers had to clear a 800-foot long hillside behind the Poway High School Stadium bleachers, dig holes and plant 40 Queen Palm trees. Assisting and directing the volunteers from the Poway High School Football team were RB Sunrise Rotary Club members Dale Long, Carl Kruse, Mike Moffat, Bret Geernaert, Mark Berdan, and Jesse Garza. Dorothy Long, Dale’s better half, also joined in to support the effort.
As this landscape improvement matures, people driving down Espola Road in Poway will see the beautiful Palm and Myrtle trees, and Bougainvillea plants next to the chain-link fence at Poway High School instead of just stark grandstands.
UPDATE
Thanks to the large number of volunteers, this project was completed by late morning on Saturday, April 28. 40 Crepe Myrtle trees and 40 Bougainvillea plants portion of the project were added. This landscape project will serve to beautify what was an unattractive drainage ditch and also serve as erosion control.