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On a recent unseasonably warm November day, the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance home office was the grateful recipient of 45 new trees planted on our downtown Indianapolis property.
The project, in partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), came about after residents in the local Fletcher Place neighborhood requested KIB bring in more trees to the area. Despite a complex selection process for working on neighborhoods with the most need, KIB was able to accommodate the neighbors’ wishes for the community.
The funding for the project came, in part, from Citizens Energy Group, who have partnered with KIB to provide a green solution to mitigating storm water. KIB is planting 10,000 trees with Citizens to complement their DigINDY project.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance also sponsored the project with financial assistance and a group of nearly 35 employees and agents who engaged and participated in planting an assortment of trees across the corporate office campus.
“Tree plantings are one of the few volunteer experiences that, in the span of just a few hours, allows us to make an impact that will last for generations,” says Jeremy Kranowitz, president and CEO at KIB.
“Over time, these trees will capture stormwater, helping prevent raw sewage from overflowing into our waterways. They will remove pollutants from our air and soil, and hundreds of species of birds, butterflies and insects will use them for food and shelter,” adds Kranowitz. “We're grateful for Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance's time and generosity in making a lasting impact in our community.”
Originally scheduled for three hours, the group of volunteers showed up with enthusiasm and got the trees, all native species to Indiana, planted with time to spare. Our employees, the neighbors who live nearby and visitors to Indianapolis will all have the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of the revamped greenspace.
“It was both a lot of fun and a lot of work,” shares Commissions Specialist, Independent Agent Marketing Shavellea Tinder, whose team of three planted four trees during the event, despite the challenges of hard soil and large rocks. “Now driving into work, I see those trees and know that I helped plant them.”
Suzanne Henderson, director of public relations and communications, shared the sentiment. “I enjoyed volunteering with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful—and at our corporate office no less! I really appreciated the educational demonstration on how to properly prep and plant trees. It was a fantastic morning with my coworkers, and I’ll enjoy the fruits of our labor for years to come.”
How to volunteer with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
Interested in learning how to make a difference in your community with KIB? Go online and find out how to volunteer by yourself or with a team from your work.