BREWSTER – Three dozen people gathered on Brewster’s Main Street across from the Metro-North Railroad Station and cheered Friday when a 12-foot-tall pine tree was gingerly placed in the ground becoming Brewster’s official tree.
The tree was donated by Norma Pereira who taught boys and girls whose parents are enrolled in an ESL class at the Studio Around the Corner an important civics lesson when they accompanied her to a village board meeting last winter.
Pereira, who for the past decade has collaborated with village and town officials as well as local businesses and not-for-profit organizations on the annual spring clean up in April, asked the board for permission to plant a community tree.
“Planting a tree will act as an incentive for our community to become nature conscious while engaging children and adults to join together and not only care for the tree but take responsibility in caring for the village that we love and desire to become something special,” she said at the time.
The Carmel woman went onto say “trees contribute to our environment by providing oxygen while improving air quality, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting wildlife.”
The village board approved her request and with the assistance of the Six Diamonds Tree Service in Patterson, the tree was transplanted from a farm in Dutchess County to its new location.
During the ceremony after a prayer was recited by Maria Quezada and words of encouragement by a number of local officials, Pereira thanked members of the Brewster-Carmel Garden Club, local residents and village police and Department of Public Works employees for their support.
“Pine trees are known for power, long life and prosperity. Trees represent peace and unity. This tree will last for years and is being planted in honor of people from the past, present and future. Hopefully, this magnificent tree will be the first of others that will become a forest in Brewster,” she said.
The tree will be welcomed on December 7 when illuminated during the village’s annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Sing-A-Long.
