Arbor Day celebration honors Mary Tomlinson

Feb. 19—THOMASVILLE- Avid gardener and member of the Thomasville Garden Club Mary Tomlinson was honored on Friday during an Arbor Day Celebration hosted by the Garden Club in conjunction with the City of Thomasville.

Welcomed by Thomasville Garden Club, Inc. President Barbara Lang, the crowd was given a history of Arbor Day and the important role it plays in communities such as Thomasville.

"As pioneers began moving into the Nebraska territory, the lack of trees was deeply felt," she said. "Not only did the new residents miss the trees, but they also needed the trees as windbreaks to keep the soil in place, for fuel and building materials, and shade from the hot sun."

Seeing this, Nebraska newspaper editor J. Sterling Morton, who had an enthusiasm for trees, advocated strongly for individuals and civic clubs to plant more trees.

"Once he became secretary of the Nebraska territory, he further spread his message on the value of trees," Lang told the crowd. "On January 4, 1872, Morton first proposed a tree-planting holiday to be known as Arbor Day."

It is estimated nearly 1 million trees were planted on the first Arbor Day during Morton's time as secretary.

"Today, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states and is planned around the best times that coincide with planting weather in that particular area of the country," Lang said. "While most holidays celebrate something that has already happened and is worth remembering, Arbor Day represents a hope for the future."

Thomasville Garden Club was created with the mission of cultivating flowers, creating civic pride, adding to the beauty of nature that has already been provided, and making Thomasville a more lovely place to live. However, its early focus was that of Morton's.

"Early years of the Thomasville Garden Club were spent encouraging individual planting, protecting, and preserving trees," said Briarcliff Garden Club member Linda Tarver.

In later years, the Garden Club witnessed the City government establish a Tree Committee.

"Along with the Garden Club, dogwood trees were planted along streets, parks, and civic campuses," Tarver said. "Roses were also planted along city streets in the 1930s."

Subcommittees of the Tree Committee went on to be formed, including the Live Oak Society, which is housed at Thomasville Landmarks Inc.

"The mission of the Live Oak Society was to plant trees of all sorts, but primarily Live Oaks on streets and private property when the occasions presented themselves," said Thomasville Landmarks, Inc. Executive Director Nancy Tinker.

When asked to present a tree for Arbor Day in honor of Tomlinson, Tinker, along with members of the society were happy to do so.

Tinker and her co-chairs selected the Ginkgo Biloba Magyar to gift the Thomasville Garden Club, a tree they felt mimicked Tomlinson's strong central leadership.

"The Ginkgo is a stately tree," said Killarney Queen Garden Club member Suzanne Finger, who accepted the tree on Tomlinson's behalf. "Many consider the Ginkgo to be a living fossil. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, it is the only surviving member of ancient plants believed to have inhabited the Earth 150 million years ago; we know Mary wasn't here that long ago."

As the crowd enjoyed a laugh at Finger's fun with her friend, Finger recalled the many contributions Tomlinson had made during her time with the Thomasville Garden Club.

"Mary is a pillar in the Garden Club Community with 39 years of volunteering her time and talents to enrich our community and organization," Finger said.

Tomlinson has a long history with the Garden Club, both locally and on the state and district levels.

"She's served on the Garden Club of Georgia Board in many capacities including the Calendar Co-Editor, the Yearbook Chairman, and the Chairman of the Historic Gardens and Landscape Fundraiser at Pebble Hill in 2018," Finger said.

Tomlinson went on to host the State Flower Show at Pebble Hill Plantation later in her reign as Co-Director of the Camellia District.

With too many accolades to list, Finger concluded by thanking her friend for her tireless leadership and dedication to the beautification of Thomasville and beyond.

Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" was then read in Tomlinson's honor before she was provided with a copy of the beloved story.

Following Tomlinson's recognition, Todd Milam of the Georgia Forestry Commission presented the Garden Club and City Councilman Scott Chastain with a "Tree City USA" banner.

Rambler Rose Garden Club member Juliane Hackney closed the program by thanking those in attendance, especially Tomlinson, who has given her time and efforts for many years in support of the Garden Club.