Birdies for Trees – Living Lands & Waters teams up with the John Deere Classic for Tree Planting and Handout Event

Living Lands & Waters to Plant a Tree and Hand Out Free Trees at Gauley Field in Partnership with John Deere Classic Birdies for Charity

Living Lands & Waters (LL&W), in collaboration with John Deere Classic and the City of Silvis, is excited to announce a special tree-planting and handout event at Gauley Field (513 12th Street, Silvis, IL) this Wednesday, May 22, at 12:45 PM. This initiative is part of LL&W’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, demonstrated through their pledge to plant one tree for every birdie scored in the 2023 John Deere Classic golf tournament.

The 2023 John Deere Classic saw an impressive 1,929 birdies scored, resulting in 1,929 trees being available for the public to plant within the community. To kick off this green initiative, LL&W will ceremoniously plant a tree at Gauley Field, symbolizing the “Birdies for Trees” partnership. George O. Barr elementary students will plant the ceremonious tree, creating an educational opportunity surrounding environmental stewardship and community revitalization. Following this, members of the public are invited to collect tree saplings to plant for themselves!

Event Details:

Who: Living Lands & Waters, John Deere Classic, City of Silvis, George O. Barr Elementary School
Where: Gauley Field, 513 12th Street, Silvis, IL
When: Wednesday, May 22 from 12:45 – 2 PM

Residents interested in receiving trees can do so on a first-come, first-served basis after the initial tree planting at Gauley Field. There are no limitations on the number of trees one can take, provided they are committed to planting them. An assortment of Swamp White Oaks, Red Oaks, and Pecans will be available until 2 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to contribute to a greener environment and enhance the local landscape.

Join us in making a positive impact on our community and ensuring a sustainable future.

For more information, please contact:

Leah Cafarelli
Living Lands & Waters Marketing Manager
leah@livinglandsandwaters.org
309-230-0057

Members of the media are invited to attend the planting ceremony at Gauley Field in Silvis, IL, to witness this tree planting. For inquiries or to RSVP, please contact Leah Cafarelli at 309-230-0057 or leah@livinglandsandwaters.org.

About Living Lands & Waters

Living Lands & Waters is a 501(c)(3) environmental organization founded by Chad Pregracke in 1998. The organization’s mission is to aid in the protection, preservation, and restoration of the natural environment of the nation’s major rivers and their watersheds. From its single-boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an industrial-strength, internationally-known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats. Spending up to nine months a year living on the barge, LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, tree plantings, and more. For more information, visit www.livinglandsandwaters.org.

About John Deere Classic / Birdies for Charity

The 53rd edition of the Quad Cities’ PGA Tour event will be played the week of July 3-7 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis with Sepp Straka as defending champion. The John Deere Classic, which includes Birdies for Charity, is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization located in the John Deere Classic tournament offices at 15623 Coaltown Road, East Moline, Illinois. Since its 1971 founding, the tournament has helped raise $174 million for charity.