By Samantha (Sam) Hickey, Communications Chair, Board of Directors, Saluting Branches
More than 16 million people in the United States have protected and served our nation in the armed forces over the years. Whatever task assigned to our veterans, whether across the country or across the world, they went and they served. They left their homes. They left their jobs. They left their families. These men and women took on the fears, the risks, and the challenges of their times, and their sacrifices extended far beyond the front lines.
Their commitment to our country deserves our utmost respect and gratitude. Whether receiving medical care or where they lie at their final resting places, veterans deserve at the very least a beautiful, safe, and respectful environment.
The concept of Saluting Branches blossomed when a group of arborists at Rainbow Tree volunteered their time and services during the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture’s Day of Service at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. The group of founders was inspired by this event and set out to bring volunteers together on a larger scale. What started as a local initiative quickly grew into a national project. By 2014, one thousand volunteers served 23 national cemetery locations, and in 2017, the organization earned its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status.
Saluting Branches recognizes the importance of honoring our nation’s veterans. Each year, in partnership with more than 3,500 tree care companies, volunteers, and sponsors, we hold a National Day of Service to provide tree and landscape services at more than 100 veteran-dedicated properties. These properties include national cemeteries and United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, medical centers, clinics, and nursing homes across the United States. Arborists, tree climbers, and other professionals work together to prune, plant, and care for trees, ensuring their longevity and health.
Saluting Branches’ decade of dedication is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2024, marking ten years of dedication to honoring our nation’s veterans by caring for trees and landscapes.
The idea for Saluting Branches was sparked by the desire to give back to the community and to honor our nation’s veterans. Our group of founders contacted the VA and offered to provide tree care services for free. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the inaugural event was a success. The group then realized there was an opportunity to expand our efforts and make a national impact.
In additional to the tree and landscape services Saluting Branches provides, Saluting Branches has planted nearly 2,000 trees to honor each of the Vietnam War POWs and MIAs who are still unaccounted for to this day.
To learn more about Saluting Branches or how to get involved, reach out to info@salutingbranches.org. Through Saluting Branches, we embrace the chance to give back in a small but very special way, to demonstrate our gratitude and appreciation for all that our veterans and their families have endured.
This article was originally published by Stars and Stripes.
