By By Adrienne McKenzie
After hurricanes Dennis and Ivan came through, ripping apart the city, the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce is giving back to the community with the gift of trees, replacing those the hurricanes stole.
At the beginning of the year the Chamber received a $2,000 matching grant from the Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D).
Mims said Escambia County extension coordinator Buck Farrior was instrumental in the efforts of receiving the grant.
Gulf Coast RC&D office manager Elaine Whittington said the council meets different needs of Escambia and surrounding counties.
Whittington said the Gulf Coast RC&D teaches students in area schools how to recycle by doing aluminum can recycling programs.
With the grant from the council, the Chamber will be able to purchase approximately 130 trees to give away.
The trees will be five to six feet tall and there will be a limit on how many trees each resident is given.
There will be a variety of trees, but each one will be hardwood including oaks, hickories, maples and larger shade trees.
Mims said having an abundance of trees is important for many reasons, one being electricity bills.
Some reasons to plant trees found at the National Arbor Day Foundation Web site, www.arborday.org, include:
Mims said Atmore area residents who would like a free tree on March 6-7 should call the Chamber at 368-3305 to reserve one. Recipients will be asked to sit through a short educational program on how to plant a tree.