SIMI VALLEY : Freedom Tree Group Celebrates Plantings and Unveils Its New Flag

Representatives of the Simi Valley-based Freedom Tree Organization met at a local park Tuesday to commemorate the 563 trees the group has helped the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District plant at schools and parks around the city.

Freedom Tree founder Mary McCurdy also unveiled the group’s new flag, modeled after the American flag, but with four green trees superimposed on one of the white stripes.

Schoolchildren were on hand to help celebrate the tree plantings, made possible through a $36,100 federal Small Business Administration grant that the district sought with the organization’s help.

McCurdy founded the Freedom Tree Organization in 1991 to honor American veterans by planting trees.

“Today is really a special day. We have worked very hard to get this flag,” said McCurdy, who will leave Thursday for Sacramento to lobby state officials to leave room in the budget for grants that support tree planting and environmental projects.

“Elected officials have to realize that when they look at that budget, it’s the people in their own districts who will be feeling the effects of these cutbacks,” McCurdy said.

Beverley Radloff, principal of Atherwood Elementary School, wore an American flag jacket, a flag sweat shirt, white skirt and red shoes to the celebration.

Radloff escorted the student council from her school, which had participated in the program by planting trees on campus.

Simi Valley resident Evelyn Mendez also attended with three of her grandchildren, who participated in the tree-planting program by agreeing to water and maintain trees planted along the Arroyo Simi.

“I thought it would be nice for the kids to watch the trees grow up as they grow,” Mendez said.

McCurdy used the event at Rancho Tapo Community Park to announce that her group will begin selling packaged seeds in an attempt to raise money in tough economic times.

“I invented the seed packages because I felt that with all the problems with the economy, rather than just putting our hands in everyone’s pockets, we had to come up with our own enterprise,” she said.