LEESBURG, FL - The City of Leesburg will celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, April 26 with a tree planting ceremony.  The event is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Lake Lorraine Park Gazebo, 1009 Griffin Road, Leesburg.  

          The small park where the ceremony will be held is located near Beverly Shores Elementary School and the city reached out to the school for help with this year’s observance. Program highlights include a message from Beverly Shores Elementary School Principal Cindy Christidis and an Arbor Day presentation by third grade teacher James Malek. Students from the school along with city staff and school representatives will take part in planting several varieties of trees including Bald Cypress, Red Maple and Slash Pine.

          “Joining with the elementary school for this year’s ceremony provides a great opportunity for the city to emphasize to our younger residents the important role trees have in our community,” said City Manager Al Minner. “Adding trees to parks such as this has many benefits including beautifying neighborhoods, increasing property values and removing air pollutants.”

          As a proud member of Tree City USA for many years, Leesburg is dedicated to urban forestry and helping to promote tree preservation as an important component of our quality of life.