Greening the city, one tree at a time

This weekend marked the first Motor City Saturday of the year, with Greenhills students and some of their family members heading to Hamtramck to plant trees as part of the Greening of Detroit campaign.

Participants caught a bus at the Greenhills parking lot to travel to Hamtramck, where volunteers planted more than 100 trees. Greenhills families planted 13 of those, despite unseasonably chilly temperatures.

“It may have been the pączkis they were given that helped them stay warm,” joked Greenhills Service Learning Director Alyssa Friendly, referring to the rich, jelly-saturated Polish pastries Hamtramck is famous for. “Our kids were amazing, despite the wicked cold temps.”

Saturday’s visit to Hamtramck was one of six Motor City Saturdays scheduled this school year. The others are October 24 (with perennial favorite Motor City Blight Busters), November 14, January 23, February 27, and April 23. In each, participants catch a bus at 8 a.m. in the Greenhills parking lot, returning to the school by 1 p.m.

“Motor City Saturdays is one of my favorite things to do at Greenhills,” said Maya Millette ’18, who serves on the Greenhills Motor City Planning Committee. “It’s a chance for our small community to help others in Detroit.”

Fellow planning committee member Liz Schoenfeld ’18 agreed.

“You get to spend time with your friends, do service in Detroit — and eat food!” Schoenfeld said. “Also the communities in Detroit really appreciate young students coming out, whether it’s to help plant trees in neighborhoods or spend time at the local nursing home.”