Members of the Father Kelly Neighborhood Association and the Fall River Street Tree Planting Program (FRSTPP) gathered at Father Kelley Park in the City's South End on September 25, 2010 to plant twenty new trees. Working in teams along side staff from the City's Departments of Community Maintenance and Parks, the group had all twenty trees planted in about two hours. In addition, new wooden seats were installed on the benches that line the park perimeter. Trees are known to cleanse the air by absorbing air pollutants and releasing oxygen. Fall River has a high rate of asthma among children, and additional trees can help reduce triggers of asthma attacks. In addition, trees help to reduce noise, provide cooling in the summer and enhance property values. Neighborhood with trees are known to have lower rates of crime. Click here and here for photos of other tree planting and here for photos of a tree planting training. For more information about the program, please contact Mary Ann Wordell at 508-679-8887.

(Top row) Steve Plasski, Cathy Viveiros, Donna Morrell, Tom Athearn, Ron Kresowaty, and Brian Curt work on planting their last tree as Mayor William Flanagan oversees their work. (Middle row, left) Herbert Buckley of the Department of Community Maintenance and Ron Costa of the Department of Parks pose for a photo. (Middle row, right) Michael Sousa and John Branco place mulch around the base of each of the twenty newly-planted trees. (Bottom row, left) John Sylvia, Timothy Locketz and Clifton Morrell pause after a morning of hard work. (Bottom row, center) Edmund Sousa, Rose Normanden and Massachusetts State Representative Kevin Aguiar work on planting the last of the twenty trees. (Bottom row, right) Lisa Fisher of Carver enjoys sitting on one of the newly-refurbished park benches as she watches the ball game.