Portland Timbers players and ambassadors, Timber Joey, and community members gathered in Happy Valley, Oregon last Saturday to plant over 675 trees and shrubs to help restore the Rock Creek tributary. Stand Together pillar partner, Friends of Trees, in partnership with JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, put on the third annual planting to celebrate the Timbers program “Score a Goal, Plant a Tree.”
Timbers players Brent Richards and Sal Zizzo, Timber Joey, and Community Ambassadors Jim Brazeau and Mick Hoban planted alongside youth from local high schools, cub scouts and Timbers Army supporters. Together, the group collectively planted 675 native trees and shrubs in the neighborhood green space.
Brent Richards, planting trees - Photo by Dave Blair
Richards, the club’s first Homegrown Player, has been involved in multiple plantings with Friends of Trees and is known for naming them as he plants.
“That one is Jacob, over there is Marcella, William, Charlene and Patricio,” joked Richards while pointing at his handiwork. He feels that it is important to get out in the community and there is no better way to do that then getting his hands dirty and making a difference.
For JELD-WEN, the day marked the third year of their involvement in the program.
“It was great to have so many Timbers Army members, Timbers fans and community volunteers join us for the planting today,” said Bill Hueffner, JELD-WEN’s Director of Development & Professional Relations. “Our goal is to be an industry leader in environmentally responsible practices and we believe that a healthy environment and healthy business practices go hand in hand.”
The mission of Friends of Trees is to increase tree canopy within the city limits, restore green spaces and build community. Through their Green Space Initiative, volunteers have planted over 34,000 native plants and trees in the Greater-Portland area since October 2012. Kris, a Friends of Trees staff member and leader of the planting, noted that Saturday’s turnout was the largest at the Rock Creek tributary site.
“It is a lot harder to score a goal in MLS than plant a tree,” she said. “So the extra effort the Timbers put towards Friends of Trees is amazing and it contributes to the community in an unbelievable way.”
To learn more about the Stand Together and Friends of Trees partnership, please visit http://www.portlandtimbers.com/stand-together/pillar-partners.
