社区冠军正在转向澳门威尼斯人游戏木，种植积极的变化

Everyone knows “that person” in their community. Connected with all the neighbors. Always ready to lend a hand. Constantly caring for others. Dedicated to improving the place they call home. They see a potential issue and actively look for solutions; they see an opportunity for progress and jump right in.

These are motivated people personally invested in creating real change right where they live. 越来越多的人把澳门威尼斯人游戏木作为积极变化的一部分. 随着理解的增长，社区澳门威尼斯人游戏木提供了所有的好处, it is becoming more apparent than ever that many neighborhoods need more green space for residents to thrive.

Through urban tree planting efforts, the Arbor Day Foundation has had the privilege of working with many of these dedicated people. Each comes from a different background and got involved in greening their neighborhoods for different reasons. 但有一件事把他们联系在一起:对社区的热情.

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George Acklin

Nashville, Tennessee

乔治·阿克林(George Acklin)在帕克伍德附近住了近50年. 这是他和妻子抚养孩子的地方, 现在，他们的孙子们也会来这里参观. It is truly home.

“Since we raised our children in this house, this is what I consider to be our home place. Whenever our children think about going home, they think about this place,” Acklin said. They had opportunities to move, but they just couldn’t see themselves living anywhere else. “我们决定留在这里……这样每个人都能回家。.”

多年来，他为心爱的帕克伍德社区倾注了如此多的心血. 这位退休的牧师担任学校的交警, neighborhood association president, and environmental beautification commissioner. He also organizes volunteers to clean up litter and even mows the grounds at the neighborhood entrance when the city can’t get to it.

This may seem like a lot for one person to take on, but that’s just how Acklin was raised. 从很小的时候起，他的母亲就向他灌输为他人服务的重要性. “We didn’t have a lot. 事实上，我们的钱还不够多，还不够多。. Regardless, Mrs. 阿克林会为家境更差的邻居做饭. “When she gets it done, we’re getting ready to eat and she says, ‘This is not for you all. We’re going to give this to somebody else.“她把饭分给了另一个比我们吃得少的家庭."

这就是阿克林一家的生活方式——即使别人一无所有也要支持他们. “We didn’t mind. 过去的人们只是分享，现在的人们仍然在分享. 你可能看不到全部，但人们仍然这样分享. That’s the way I was brought up.”

“我想做点什么让入口更吸引人，更漂亮. 我想不出还有什么比澳门威尼斯人游戏更诱人、更美丽的了.”

- George Acklin Nashville, Tennessee

因此，当他看到一种可以为他心爱的社区服务的方式时，阿克林不会犹豫. And lately, he’s been invested in tree planting. He spearheaded the planting of more than 75 trees along that neighborhood entrance he helps to mow. “走廊还行，但看起来不太吸引人，”他说. "我想做点什么让入口更吸引人，更漂亮. 我想不出还有什么比澳门威尼斯人游戏更诱人、更美丽的了."

He also helps to spread the word about a citywide program offering free trees for Nashville residents living in low-canopy neighborhoods. As a Tree Captain, Acklin serves as an advocate within the Parkwood community to help his neighbors understand the benefits of planting more trees in their yards. He’s also a familiar face those homeowners trust. “I talk to them, tell them what’s going on. 我告诉他们这是真的，没有陷阱。”他说. “There’s the trust factor. 现在他们知道这是真的，他们可以信任我，他们可以信任这个项目. 然后他们可以告诉他们的邻居，这些邻居可以告诉他们的邻居. And it can explode like a ripple effect.”

The ripple effect is definitely at work. 一个邻居接一个邻居，一棵澳门威尼斯人游戏接一棵澳门威尼斯人游戏，帕克伍德越来越绿了. And the benefits of these trees will be part of Acklin’s legacy — living on for generations to come.

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Enid Pinkney

Miami, Florida

Enid Pinkney is a storyteller at heart. And the story she tells is one of community — preserving the heritage of her Brownsville neighborhood and supporting her neighbors. Her perspective is unique, having lived in the area for a long time and leading the charge to preserve historical sites steeped in cultural significance. 她甚至写了一本关于布朗潜水艇(布朗斯维尔的昵称)历史的书。.

她的澳门威尼斯人游戏主义使她成为这个服务不足社区的偶像, 她每天都在为迈阿密的这个角落努力工作. “这个社区一直以来都是一个家庭社区, 但现在它已经被新进入的开发者所渗透, and there are some high rises. 我们正在努力保护生活在这个社区的这个家庭，”平克尼说. “We are working on getting historic designation for this community so that we can keep the cultural heritage of this community and try to protect it.”

An important part of preserving the heritage of Brownsville is supporting those who live there now. 平克尼所在社区的大多数人都面临着粮食不安全的问题. The area is an urban food desert, with insufficient access to fresh and healthy food options. 平均家庭收入低于贫困线近30%, 步行距离内没有杂货店是一个严重的问题.

This was Pinkney’s moment to follow her heart and write a new chapter of Brownsville’s story. She volunteered a quarter-acre plot of land next door to her home to be used for a community garden, and people rallied together to bring it to life. Over two days, 熬过六月的酷热和快速移动的暴雨, two local nonprofit organizations and dozens of volunteers from the neighborhood planted 45 fruit trees and a variety of vegetables.

平克尼被看到这个空间变得生动的经历所感动. “You know, I really can't put into words how I'm inspired by what is taking place today and by the people who have come to share the labor. And it shows that good people are around. We just need to get them together and put them to work so that they can show the way.”

But more than getting the trees and plants in the ground, this day was about new experiences. 平克尼说得最好:“这是一次教学经历. It's a learning experience. It's a building history experience.”

“They will know there's a place that they can come, and the food is available and it's for them.”

- Enid Pinkney Miami, Florida

现在，伊妮德院子的一部分将成为聚集地. For neighbors and for nourishment. “Well, you know, I'm happy to be able to do that, 能够把人们聚集在一起，这让我感觉很好,” she said. "They will know there's a place that they can come, and the food is available and it's for them."

她对这个社区的爱现在已经写进了布朗斯维尔的故事, shaping the future into something a bit better.

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Marcia Heard

Newark, New Jersey

Marcia Heard is a natural go-getter — heavily involved in her community of Newark and in the arts. 她是ACCA create的执行董事和联合创始人, an organization focused on arts, culture, and community activism. And in true go-getter fashion, 她是她所在社区组织的创始人之一, Beautiful Mead Street.

“我清楚地记得那些绿澳门威尼斯人游戏成荫的街道，那里的澳门威尼斯人游戏木就像一座大教堂, a canopy of beauty.”

- Marcia Heard Newark, New Jersey

希尔德从小就和澳门威尼斯人游戏有联系. Her early years were spent at her grandmother’s home in a well-treed area of Chicago. "我清楚地记得那些绿澳门威尼斯人游戏成荫的街道，那里的澳门威尼斯人游戏木就像一座大教堂, a canopy of beauty."

在2020年，这种积极进取的态度和与澳门威尼斯人游戏木的联系结合在一起.

美丽的米德街通过纽瓦克市申请拨款. 目标是做一些小的改进，包括增加悬挂植物. But Heard said, “I wanted more for our block.她想要一个更接近她童年时代邻居家的澳门威尼斯人游戏的地方. “我注意到澳门威尼斯人游戏木被砍倒了，澳门威尼斯人游戏木没有被替换. 所以我做了一幅积木的画布，问人们是否对澳门威尼斯人游戏感兴趣. Some said yes.”

At that point, Heard really dove in. 她自学了澳门威尼斯人游戏木给社区带来的所有好处, 分享她在改善空气质素方面的经验, stormwater management, heat island reduction, and more. 她还研究了她附近最好的澳门威尼斯人游戏种选择, given their narrower boulevards.

下一步是联系当地的植澳门威尼斯人游戏组织. 据希尔德说，“当我向他们伸出手时，就像魔法一样.” They were able to support her by handling funding, tree sourcing, and all the planning. 在她意识到这一点之前，她带头为她的社区举办了一场种植活动.

在活动当天，米德街总共种下了15棵澳门威尼斯人游戏. But with a total of 65 homes within her neighborhood, Heard sees this as an ongoing effort. “We haven’t given up. We are still approaching people and asking them if they are interested in tree planting now that they see the other trees up,” she said.

This is a glowing example of what is possible. This small but mighty group of neighbors — led by a true neighborhood champion — understood the importance of trees and made tree planting happen in their community.