A small White Pine took root in Waltham yesterday.
For the 95th anniversary of the Girl Scout the local troops from Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted School planted the tree on school grounds.
"It's celebrating the Girl Scouts, the environment, and doing something nice for the school," said Patty Campbell, a Girl Scout Brownie troop leader and Our Lady's parent.
The White Pine was one of 95 trees planted by various Girl Scout service units within the state's Patriots' Trail Council and one of 30,000 planted by councils across the nation.
Future of Life Inc., a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia that educates young people on the environment, donated the trees to the Girl Scouts councils nationwide to help promote and encourage environmental awareness. Campbell said although the Waltham unit was chosen to plant the tree, Our Lady's school volunteered to plant and care for the tree during the summer months.
Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadets stood in a circle outside of the school, taking turns to dig a small hole for the tree, adjacent from the school's playground.
"Trees are important for the environment," said seventh-grade cadet Kyra Pellant. "They're very useful, and it will honor our school and the Girl Scouts."
To show their level of dedication to the environment and planting the tree, the scouts from all grades recited the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law while holding up their right hands, three fingers pointed upward.
Fourth-grade scout Sarah Smith recited the poem, "Tree," by an unknown author, to commemorate the planting of the pine. The second-grade troop also sang a song, "Make New Friends," and the third-grade troop formed a friendship circle, interlocking arms to create strong bond.
Autumn Medbery, 7, a first-grade scout, said it was a wonderful thing that the Waltham unit was able to plant the tree.
"It's nice that this is a number of all the trees because it's here," she said.
Scout-mate Mariel Pasciscia, 7, agreed, and said being able to plant the tree at the school was a great thing.
"It's helping the earth," she said.
Mary Ellen Smith, leader of the fourth-grade troop 1834, said the troops were pleased that the Waltham Girl Scouts, part of the Patriots' Trail Council, received the tree.
"It's actually nice that we've gotten on of the 95 trees that were given to the Patriots' Trail Council," she said. "It's a cool thing."
Matt Perkins can be reached at 781-398-8009 or at mperkins@cnc.com.
