Trees donated to Wayne Community College to help children
By From staff reports
Published in News on November 25, 2012 1:50 AM
Five new trees at the Wayne Community College Child Care Center are expected to grow more than limbs and leaves -- their mission is to grow healthy children, too.
The two sycamore and three yellow poplar trees are a component of a Shape NC grant and are intended to boost outdoor activity, enhance the outdoor environment and help educate children about being active, an effort to curtail obesity.
The three were donated by Casey Nursery and planted by seven of the college's turfgrass students and two of its forest management students.
Shape NC: Healthy Starts for Young Children is a statewide effort to increase health and nutrition education for children and their families. It is the result of a partnership between the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. The program expanded from eight child care programs into 10 more last year to include the Partnership for Children of Wayne County. The Wayne County organization chose to implement its programming at the WCC Child Care Center.
Officials said that planting trees to provide shade over the college's playground will make outdoor activities more enjoyable for the 42 children who play there, and provide educational opportunities, too.