Trees For Goshen Brings Community Together
In a heartfelt effort to beautify their town, community members of Goshen have united under the banner of Trees for Goshen, a grassroots initiative dedicated to enhancing the town’s green spaces. Spearheaded by Mady Lynn and a passionate group of volunteers, the organization emerged from a desire to make Goshen more welcoming through the planting of trees along its streets.
The journey of Trees for Goshen began two years ago, following the town's recognition of the group as a Sustainable Connecticut entity, achieving bronze certification. Maddy, who serves as the group’s leader, explained that the initiative was born out of a brainstorming session involving the Sustainable Goshen group and the Goshen Garden Club. “We wanted to see what could make the town even better,” she remarked. The idea of creating tree-lined streets quickly gained momentum, with community members envisioning a picturesque entrance to Goshen that would leave a lasting impression on visitors.
On a recent sunny Friday, the group put this vision into action, hosting a planting event that saw the community come together in droves. Mady shared the excitement: “We had about 30 to 40 people come out to help, including students from the local high school.” The event centered around planting 11 trees at the Goshen Center School and the nearby town hall, an area that has long been barren and in need of greenery.
Collaboration was key to the success of the event. Maddy and her team consulted with local government officials and the Department of Transportation to ensure the planned trees would not interfere with upcoming construction projects, namely a new roundabout. “We wanted to make sure we weren’t planting trees that would have to be removed later,” Mady noted. With the backing of the Goshen Garden Club as their fiscal sponsor, the initiative secured matching funds from Sustainable Connecticut, allowing them to quickly raise the necessary money for the project.
The community’s enthusiasm was palpable. Within just three weeks, Trees for Goshen raised $4,000, which was matched by Sustainable Connecticut, giving them a total budget of $8,000. Local businesses and residents stepped up to support the initiative, offering not just monetary donations but also materials and labor. Maddy highlighted the generosity of local businesses, such as Old Barn Farm, which donated a watering device to aid in the care of the newly planted trees.
The day of the planting was filled with camaraderie and hard work. Volunteers brought shovels and lots of elbow grease. Local businesses stepped up, too. Fay and Wright donated topsoil; Old Barn Farm the watering device; Northern Farm the Sweet peat mulch. For Mady, it was a moment to relish. “Just seeing the whole community come together and really with a common goal of, Hey, this is great for the town. We love it here. We want it to be as beautiful as it can be. People donated their time….neighbors helping neighbors for really a great community event. And I think that everybody who came out helped in any way they could. They brought their shovels, they're good wishes. So it was a great day.”
