The Friends of Waller Park honored The Rotary Club of Santa Maria Noon Past-President Virginia Souza at this year’s Arbor Day celebration in Waller Park Saturday.
“Virginia has served in many capacities in Santa Maria over the years. She spearheaded gathering Rotary volunteers to plant 100 trees in Waller Park in honor of the 100-year anniversary of the Noontime Rotary Club in Santa Maria. Friends of Waller Park is so pleased to honor Virginia this year for Arbor Day,” said Juliann Hemphill, coordinator of Friends of Waller Park.
Virginia served as the 100th president of the noontime Rotary Club in 2021-22. Each of the 100 trees planted in the park has a former Rotary president assigned to it. The trees were obtained by a grant funded to Friends of Waller Park through Your Children’s Trees; an urban forestry nonprofit affiliated with UCSB.
The Arbor Day Celebration featured music by the Central Coast Chordsmen, presentation of the flag by a color guard from Boy Scout Troop 91, and a talk about the value of trees by City of Santa Maria Special Districts and Urban Forest Supervisor, Scott Christian.
A tree selected by Virginia was planted to honor her at the event and oak tree seedlings were available to take home, provided by the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau Oak Tree Regeneration Program, in conjunction with the FFA Horticulture program at Santa Maria High School.
Congratulations on a job well done Virginia!
