Members of the Georgian Bay Nordic Ski Team and their families met at Saugeen District Secondary School before heading out into Port Elgin and Southampton to plant a variety of different trees as a fundraiser for their club.

Hub Staff

It was perfect tree planting weather on May 4 as a total of 312 trees sold through the annual Saugeen Shores Tree Sale were picked up, delivered and planted in the municipality.

The subsidized program, hosted by Trees for Saugeen and the Town of Saugeen Shores and in partnership with Bruce Power and Everest Trees, joined forces this year with the Georgian Bay Nordic Ski Team who offered additional tree planting services as a fundraiser for their club.

Approximately 40 tree planters, all members of the cross-country ski team that operates from the Sawmill Nordic Centre and Ski Trail in Hepworth, along with their families, met with Trees for Saugeen's Gerry Lambert Saturday morning at Saugeen District Secondary School's greenhouses to learn how to plant the trees before they headed out into the community in four teams.

“There's approximately 70 trees to be planted by this group today,” said Lambert, who added that they had introduced a lot of different varieties of trees to this year's sale, including sycamores.

While the ski team were busy planting, members of the public who chose not to opt into the planting service, picked up their pre-ordered trees from the Saugeen Shores Public Works yard on Concession 6 at the south end of Port Elgin.

Town staff carefully manoeuvred the trees at the Saugeen Shores Public Works yard ready for transportation to residences throughout Saugeen Shores.

Gerry Lambert of Trees for Saugeen demonstrated to members of the Georgian Bay Nordic Ski Team and their families how to plant the trees.

Everest delivered trees to the Public Works yard ready to be picked up and planted at residences throughout Saugeen Shores.

After planting one tree at a Port Elgin residence, Lea Mirgain (left) and 11 year old Aleida Nelson were ready with their shovels to start digging another hole.

Trees were loaded into the backs of trucks and onto trailers at the Saugeen Shores Public Works yard May 4.

Georgian Bay Nordic Ski Team members and their families worked hard throughout the day planting trees in Saugeen Shores as part of the annual Tree Sale.