Lindsay Lagreid and her dad, Ted Lagreid, spent the day of November 14 volunteering for PropagationNation by helping the staff at the San Juan Island Sculpture Park plant 14 coast redwood and 6 giant sequoia seedlings.  Who knew that two weeks later they would find their picture, along with one of the redwoods they planted, lighting up Times Square in New York City?

According to Lindsay, here’s the story of how that happened.  “I work for a company, Culture Amp, which was highlighted by Nasdaq on Giving Tuesday as one of the companies that has taken the 1% pledge.  Nasdaq needed a photo to represent the philanthropic efforts of Culture Amp and its employees and it just so happens that I had recently shared some pictures about the Sculpture Park tree planting with my company.  Sooooo, they used the picture of me and my dad with one of those magical trees as the photo!  I kinda of love the juxtaposition of a magical redwood in the hustle and bustle of Times Square.”

 

What does a day volunteering to plant 14 redwood and 6 giant sequoia seedlings look like?  Here is the story in pictures.

 

After a long drive from Seattle to Anacortes and then a delightful ferry ride to San Juan Island, we arrived at the Sculpture Park.

 

Our small SUV is loaded to the gills with seedlings so tall that the tops of the redwoods had to bend over to fit into the vehicle.

 

The trees were placed at thoughtfully laid out locations that had been prepared carefully with holes dug by the board and staff members at the Sculpture Park.

 

Here’s a giant sequoia being planted near one of the sculptures.

 

Another giant sequoia ready for planting.  The root systems on these trees were breathtaking and suggest the wonder that lies ahead.

 

Making the hole large enough for a redwood seedling which will need room to grow.

 

Ted Lagreid and daughter Lindsay basking in the success of creating a new home for this redwood seedling.  Little did they know that this photo would soon be decorating one of the buildings in Times Square in New York City.

 

One of six giant sequoias planted at the Sculpture Park.

 

These are the folks who helped make it happen: (L to R) Judith Wright, Ted Lagreid, David Jenkins, Katie Kent and Lindsay Lagreid, after a successful day of planting.

 

This is the wording that will be placed on a sign near one of the coast redwoods at the Sculpture Park so that visitors can know the history of the trees and watch their growth over time.