As we celebrate the conclusion of Saluting Branches’ 10th Annual Day of Service, we wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. This Decade of Dedication would not have been possible without the commitment, time, and generosity of so many.
To Our Volunteers
This year, your early registration made a world of difference in helping us plan more effectively for our 10th annual event. Whether you’re an arborist, a non-arborist, or one of the many veterans who joined us, you each brought unique skills and perspectives that contributed to the success of Saluting Branches. We saw an incredible turnout of both industry professionals and new faces, united by a common goal: to honor our American servicemen and women by caring for property dedicated to our veterans.
To Our Site Leaders
You are the backbone of Saluting Branches. Your leadership, coordination, and dedication at each of our nearly 100 locations made this year’s event possible. From securing local sponsors to managing volunteers, your efforts ensured a safe and impactful day. This year, we introduced new policies around branding, banners, and expenses to better support you, and you embraced these changes with professionalism and grace. Without your devotion and commitment, we couldn’t honor our veterans the way we do. Thank you for stepping up and making a difference where it matters most.
To Our Sponsors
Thanks to your generosity, we’ve been able to provide the resources needed for a safe and impactful event across the nation, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Early estimates put our impact this year at well over $4.1 million. Your contribution supported the building blocks at our national planning level and event coordination across all locations.
Benefactors. A special thank you to our Benefactor Sponsor, Vermeer, whose contribution supported over 250 volunteers, enabling them to make a lasting impact on veterans’ properties.
Champions. To our Champion Sponsors: Bandit, Rainbow Ecoscience, and Core Tree Care, your support ensured the smooth operation of each site, from safety to logistics. Each of your contributions helped support 185 volunteers.
Partners. We are also grateful to our Partner Sponsors: Bartlett Tree Experts, Lewis Tree Service, Morbark, Townsend Tree Service, Davey Tree, Husqvarna, RDO Equipment Co., SMUD, and Wright Tree Service, whose contributions provided food, water, and support for volunteers.
To Our In-Kind Sponsors
Your generosity has been instrumental in making this year’s event a success. We are deeply grateful to Arborwear, who collaborated with director and communications chair Sam Hickey and her sister Britany to design this year’s coveted volunteer t-shirt. This design set the stage for Arbsession to surprise us with 5,000 matching buffs, adding an extra layer of appreciation for our volunteers. Arborwear not only provided the shirts at cost but also ensured they were efficiently distributed to site leaders across the country.
We are also thankful to Yale Cordage for donating 120 high-quality ropes, allowing us to raffle off at least one at every location, and to Oregon Tool, who generously provided boxes of essential items like helmets, chaps, saw files, and other gear, offering invaluable support to our volunteers.
Locally, countless companies stepped up to provide raffle prizes, food, beverages, and other forms of support, contributing to the overall success of our day of service.
Our industry partners and non-profits also played a crucial role in providing us with complimentary services. ISA, TCIA, and UAA provided us with advertising, booth space, and valuable exposure. T&D World amplified our message through advertising, sharing our mission with tens of thousands, and Stars and Stripes highlighted Saluting Branches on the front page of their website, sharing our story with veterans across the globe.
Your collective support enables us to continue our mission of honoring veterans and providing essential tree care services across the nation. Thank you for standing with us.
Your tireless dedication and hard work behind the scenes have made this year’s Saluting Branches a success. Each committee played a vital role in ensuring everything ran smoothly, and we are incredibly grateful for your efforts.
Our Sponsorship Committee worked diligently to secure the financial support we needed, ensuring the event had the resources to thrive. The Outreach Committee connected with organizations and partners to help grow our impact and expand our mission, including our partnership with the TREE Fund’s Tour des Trees, where we had a stop to spread the mission of Saluting Branches. The Communications Committee ensured our message was clear and widespread, from newsletters to social media, keeping volunteers and sponsors informed and engaged throughout the year. The Day-of-Service Committee worked relentlessly, overseeing all logistics and making sure each site had the support, tools, and safety protocols necessary for success. Finally, our Tree Planting Committee helped launch initiatives that expanded our mission and made sure our legacy was not just about service, but also growth and environmental stewardship.
Every member of these committees helped ensure that Saluting Branches continued to honor our veterans in the best way possible. Your contributions behind the scenes helped create an impactful day of service and a lasting legacy for our organization.
To Everyone Who Lent a Hand
There are countless people who contributed behind the scenes to help guide our growth and strengthen our organization for the future. From those who met with us to plan our strategy for the coming years, to those who helped with HR guidance, and the generous individuals who hosted our strategic planning session at Fort Logan National Cemetery and VFW Post 9644 — your support has been invaluable. We can’t name every single person, but you know who you are, and please know that your contributions, big and small, have made an enormous impact on the success of Saluting Branches. It is through this collective effort that we continue to grow and build upon our mission year after year.
It has been an honor to celebrate this Decade of Dedication with all of you. Together, we have created a lasting impact on veterans’ properties across the country. Here’s to many more years of service, unity, and gratitude.
With deepest appreciation,
Board of Directors, Saluting Branches
