Meet Connie Veates, Trees Atlanta Interim Executive Director

Connie has long had a passion for trees  — for their beauty and for the protection that they provide to people and our planet.  As an “almost” native of Atlanta since she was 4 years old, she has loved living in the city of trees.

Connie has been active with Trees Atlanta for many years. She was a member of its Board of Directors for 10 years, including being President for 5 years. During that time she served on many committees and was instrumental in the building of our new facility in Reynoldstown.

Professionally, Connie was an executive with BellSouth and later AT&T working in many functional areas. In 2010, after 30 years of service, she left AT&T and spent a year exploring more creative endeavors such as metalsmithing and indulging in her love of travel. 

Connie has always been proud to call Marcia Bansley (immediate past Trees Atlanta Executive Director) her friend and is happy to step in as Interim Executive Director while a search for the permanent Executive Director is being conducted. Since May, Connie has quickly become a natural addition to the Trees Atlanta canopy… we mean: family!

“It is so wonderful to come to work every day and sit in a place surrounded by trees and know that our organization is truly making a difference” she says. “Trees benefit us all! It is a pleasure to work with the volunteers, great staff and so many other supporters throughout the city to ensure that Atlanta is green and healthy for years to come.”

Of course, the answer to THE QUESTION: Connie’s favorite tree changes all the time…this week it’s the Japanese Maple!

Every season has a reason.

We are tree planting MA-chines in the fall and winter! Now as spring turns to summer, Trees Atlanta shifts into tree care and maintenance mode.

We focus on mulching, pruning, and watering our trees. Come sweat it out with us any Saturday! Every Saturday - 9 am to noon.

Some tips for volunteering this summer:

• RSVP to your weekly volunteer email if you plan to come so that we bring enough equipment and have a good guesstimate of our group (or just send us an email at susan [at] treesatlanta.org.)
• Wear sunscreen! We start at 9 am, but the sun is working as hard as you. You may also want to bring a wide brimmed hat — it’s so fashionable too! 
• Bring & drink water!
• Bring work gloves if you have them… but we have some well used (read: grungy) gloves for you to borrow during the project.
• Bring a friend! Everyone (singletons or groups) is welcome, but everything is more fun with your bud by your side, right?! Children who can work independently are welcome also — we do work near busy roads with traffic, so please use your good judgement.
• Bring a little lunch money. We’ll head to a local eatery — most often a pizza joint — to share a few slices and cool down with some icy drinks. 
• Have fun! 

Project: Virginia-Highlands - May 28, 2011 | Photo: J. Yi

Atlanta City Council Proclaims May 16, 2011 Marcia Bansley Day!

Immediate past Executive Director, Marcia Bansley, lead Trees Atlanta for 26 years. In honor of her service to Atlanta, the City Council recognized Marcia on Monday.

Sponsored by Cleta Winslow, the Atlanta City Council, issued a proclamation naming May 16, 2011 Marcia Bansley Day! Congratulations Marcia, and thank you for your TREE-mendous career of service to Atlanta and trees everywhere!

Atlanta City Council Chambers - May 16, 2011 | Photo: J. Yi

Ten Ways to Celebrate National Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is this Friday, April 29th.  Though we  celebrate Georgia’s Arbor Day in February with tree planting, there are plenty of other nice ways you can appreciate trees this week.

10.  Make the mulch rings in  your yard wider 

9.  Save some rainwater or bath water and give your trees a nice drink

8.  Hug a tree (this is as much for you as for the tree)

7.  Volunteer at the Inman Park Festival! 

6.  Have an arborist examine your older trees

5.  Make a donation to Trees Atlantaso we can plant more trees

4.  Go to the Inman Park Festivaland sit under the shade of one of their many trees

3.  Drink a PBR while sitting in the shade of a tree

2.  Stroll through one of Trees Atlanta’s 7 Neighborhood Arboretaand think about what trees do for us in our own neighborhoods 

1.  Visit an Atlanta Champion Tree orGeorgia State Champion tree and marvel at its size and beauty 

Whichever way you choose to celebrate, have a happy Arbor Day!! 

Written by Trees Atlanta, Neighborwoods Coordinator, Susan Pierce. When she’s not leading volunteers, you may likely find Susan enjoying her favorite food: Coconut Ice Cream all summer long! Yummo!

Please click on the photo above and consider donating to Trees Atlanta. Any donations received through this link during April 2011 will qualify the donor to receive a gift from Artist R. Land, in conjunction with sponsor Pabst Brewing Company. Thank you! 

(Source: treesatlanta.org)