By Eric Stock
NORMAL – Heartland Community College is trying to spruce up its quad after the emerald ash borer destroyed nearly 100 trees last year.
The school in Normal has started a ‘Plant It Forward’ campaign where people can buy a tree or bench to be placed where the ash trees used to stand.
President Rob Widmer said it left a void when those ask trees had to be removed from the heart of the campus.
“Students had identified with that over the years,” Widmer said. “Then when we had to clear the quad, it was really quite stark and I think people were really wanting to see that element of campus come back.”
Widmer added the school wanted to get private money to pay for the project at a time when education funding is tight.
“We obviously thought about that quite a bit and didn’t know exactly what the response would be,” Widmer said. “We’ve been very pleased actually. It was an overwhelming response.”
More than three dozen trees and more than a dozen benches have been sold so far.
Foundation Executive Director Chris Downing says the new quad will also serve as a classroom where students can study trees and their various contributions to the local ecosystem.
“It also has the potential to be another park for community members where they can relax and enjoy the campus,” Downing said.
One group of Heartland employees is looking to remember Emily Olmetti, the school’s associate director of the reading center, who died in 2014.
“Emily was a delight to be around,” said Bethany Kriegsman, dean of Health and Human Services at Heartland. “A beautiful, strong flowering tree will remind us of her strength and pizazz.”
Downing added, “This is the type of gift that will last forever. Our students may not know each donor personally, but they’ll know they cared about students and education at Heartland.”
Anyone interested in making a donation can contact Downing at chris.downing@heartland.edu or (309) 268-8587.
Work on the quad is expected to begin late fall or early spring.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
