Latest news with #MortonArboretum
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Donna Vickroy: As we deal with new chaos, take a page from COVID and practice the four Cs
These are tough times for empaths. As we watch government service agencies get gutted, as we watch people lose their jobs, as we watch our beautiful national parks struggle to stay open, as we watch our once thriving country descend into economic despair, it is a challenge to keep panic at bay. Knowing our government is canceling environmental protections, while casting marginalized people aside and wrecking long-standing relationships with once-beloved allies is taking a toll on our mental health. The heart aches. The soul despairs. Even the left, logical side of our brain wonders how we will ever come back from this. The only thing I can liken it to is COVID. And so on the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown, I find myself reiterating the coping strategy I used to get through that frightening time of uncertainty. Back in March 2020, as we all wondered how the mysterious virus worked its horrors, I lie in bed one night hyperventilating. What to do? What to do? I needed a mindset to help me stay positive and focused. No one needs a ninny in times of crisis. I had people who needed me to be capable and helpful and composed — a daughter who had just landed her first nursing job in the COVID unit of a hospital; another daughter who had just had a baby boy; a granddaughter whose preschool had abruptly ended; a father who was already lonely and in failing health. Though the news was all bad, and the images were so heartbreaking, I decided then that each time I felt overwhelmed I would break the beast down by remembering what was still within my control. I called them the four Cs: Be calm, be compassionate, be creative, be careful. They were seemingly simple things I could do, self-talk I found encouraging, things that put me back in the driver's seat. Those four mantras not only helped me keep a sense of hope on the darkest days, they enabled me to turn a frightening, isolated time into opportunity and growth. How did I get through COVID? I baked challenging recipes, including focaccia bread and a replica of Harry and Meghan's lemon elderflower wedding cake. I installed gardens and some parts actually took off. We attended the Morton Arboretum's first-ever drive through Illumination holiday show. I introduced my granddaughter to every kind of art project I could think of, from tie-dying to snow painting. When we grew weary of paints and glue sticks, we collaborated on a children's book about — what else? — soap and the importance of washing your hands. I couldn't visit my dad, so I surprised him with 'Portillo's on the porch.' To reconnect with longtime friends, I threw together a socially distanced backyard gathering. We had to chat loudly through our masks, but no one seemed to care. My husband and I organized cul-de-sac happy hours and went on twice daily walks. And, in a parking lot in Bloomington, I reconnoitered with two siblings who live out of town to exchange gifts and surprises. I brought Palermo's 95th pizzas, Orland Bakery doughnuts and tamales from a Mexican restaurant in Blue Island. They traded Avanti's sandwiches, freshly baked bread and pies from a downstate shop. We tried to be helpful too. I organized a food drive on my block and delivered a carload of nonperishables to a nonprofit in Oak Lawn. We sprung for lunch for the ER doctors at the New Lenox hospital where our daughter worked. And, when my husband decided to install a railroad garden along the portion of our yard that backs up to a frequented walkway, I went all in on decorating the space with wildflowers. The biggest challenge came when our daughter announced her engagement. Because no one knew when the shutdown would end, she made plans for a very small, destination wedding. And so there I was, hosting a drive-by bridal shower on my front lawn in December. The local Italian specialty store, Rubino's, supplied fabulous sack lunches and there were hot cocoa bombs for everyone. Nothing was traditional. Nothing was fancy or frilly or the way 'it was supposed to be.' Yet, somehow all of it was special and memorable and, well, wonderful. My attempts to 'be happy anyway' allowed me to feel a sense of defiance towards COVID — dare I say a sense of winning. And that is my point: Even in the darkest times, even when the world seems to be in a death spiral, the 4 Cs can get you through. Be calm, be compassionate, be creative, be careful. Of course, I felt badly for those who were sick, for those who had lost loved ones, for those who died alone, for those who were buried without fanfare. I felt badly for the teens who missed prom and state championships and graduation. I felt badly for people who were having difficulty coping with a life interrupted. And now I feel badly for those who are losing their jobs and their callings. I feel badly for our national neighbors who have always been so welcoming. I feel badly for anyone who believes government should serve the people instead of punish them. Once again, I will try to channel this hurt into something good. I don't know if the country can weather another storm of chaos and uncertainty. I don't know if we'll come out of this new challenge unscarred. But I do know that even when times are hard, it helps if there are soft landings, shoulders at the ready and candles available to light the darkness. It may not seem like much but to someone in need, it may be enough, or even everything.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Effingham's efforts to protect its trees
The City of Effingham was awarded $50,000 last year from the Morton Arboretum to complete an inventory of the city's trees, develop an Urban Forestry Management Plan with the community's input, remove dead trees and plant trees in disadvantaged areas. This ordinance is only for trees on public property, not private. One of the requirements for the grant is adopting a Tree Preservation Policy, which Public Works Director Jeremy Heuerman presented during Tuesday's City Council meeting. The ordinance, provided by and approved by Morton Arboretum, identifies how to preserve trees, how to prune them, what the city's regulations are for planting and protecting them, how to properly remove them, how to preserve legacy trees, where to properly place trees, how to properly care for them and more. 'It's a full ordinance basically to regulate how we operate with trees in our public right of way, remove, replace and get recommendations on a more diverse species, so we're not just removing anything and everything out there,' said Heuerman. The ordinance also says that people may be fined if they violate any of the provisions outlined in it. Heuerman said the ordinance goes hand-in-hand with an Urban Forestry Management Plan, which is being drafted. This will outline how the city will properly care for trees and the city's goals, like different tree plantings and community plantings. It will also identify areas that lack trees, also known as disadvantaged areas. The community plantings will be through a soon-to-be-formed volunteer program. After finalizing the initial data for the Urban Forestry Management Plan and the Tree Preservation Policy, the city plans to advertise the community plantings, which will be open to the public for volunteers or other community groups like Girl Scouts and garden clubs. According to Heuerman, there are 1,902 trees in Effingham, and most of them are on private property. Since the Ordinance is only for trees on public property, private landowners will be encouraged to plant a variety of tree species, as well as recommended planting locations and pruning methods. This information will be in the Urban Forestry Management Plan. City Administrator Steve Miller commended Heuerman's work on this because he says the city has had trouble in the past with trees getting cut down. Once the Urban Forestry Management Plan is finalized, it and the already-completed tree inventory will be brought to the City Council for approval. 'The ordinance is a great step in the right direction to better protect and preserve our urban forest,' said Heuerman. 'Having access to [a] Certified Arborist to give us professional advice is a great asset for our community. The ordinance puts the rules and policies in our Municipal Code, which not only allows enforcement but also gives direction and recommendations on correct methods for tree preservation. The best part is all of this work is 100% grant funded. It will be a great tool for Effingham to not only [use] in the immediate future but also as a guide for years to come.'
