by Joe Moore
Several years ago, my wife had an idea.
At the time, we were building a small family business. She had three young girls, a full-time career, and all the daily responsibilities that come with being a mom. Somehow, she still found time to pour good ideas into our business while always being mom first.
Her idea was simple, it just needed my implementation.
What if Siltworm and ECS hosted an Earth Day 5K?
Start the race at our office. Bring people together. Raise awareness around stormwater, conservation, and the work happening in our communities. Invite regulators, engineers, contractors, employees, families, and friends.
I was proud of her idea and wanted to run with it. Pun intended.
The reality, I failed to completely implement it because we hit a literal roadblock.
A municipality quickly enlightened us on what it takes to close a road for a race. From there, the idea slowly fizzled out. The race never really found its footing.
Pun also intended.
But I knew there was something there.
In a full circle moment, at 8 am this morning, I had our three daughters volunteering, and working with groups of kids to get hundreds of trees in the ground. What began as the idea of a 5K from our office has now turned into thousands of new trees in the ground, and my girls teaching others about the importance of conservation, and stewardship.
Today is day one of three that we are spending with the YMCA of the USA Triangle Hills campers as part of Replanting the Region. By the end of this week, we will have planted 400 more trees and crossed the 4,000-tree mark for the volunteer program that we started.
That number matters.
But what may matter even more is the memory planted alongside those trees.
A kid may not remember everything we told them about stormwater, soil, erosion, shade, or wildlife. But they may remember the day they got their hands dirty. They may remember planting a tree with their fellow campers. They may remember that someone showed up and took the time to explain that the place they live is worth taking care of.
That is what Replanting the Region has become over the last four years.
Trees planted with school districts, conservation districts, municipalities, tree boards, and kids across Northwest Indiana. A small way to connect the work we do every day to something tangible, visible, and lasting.
Conservation does not always have to be complicated.
Sometimes it starts with an idea, a roadblock and then a shovel.
A few hundred trees, a group of kids, and a little bit of time can be the greatest of things.
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