A special Arbor Day at Settlers Park Retirement Village
There is something wonderfully hopeful about planting a tree.
You place something small into the earth knowing that you may never see just how tall it eventually grows, how wide its branches spread or how many people will one day enjoy its shade.
Perhaps that is what made this year’s Arbor Day at Settlers Park Retirement Village feel particularly special.
As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations, Boards, Committees, Residents, volunteers, service providers, Management and staff gathered to mark the occasion with the planting of a River Indigo tree (Indigofera jucunda), and 103 year old Mrs Elizabeth Milln was invited to do the honours.
An indigenous South African tree known for its beautiful clusters of pinkish-mauve flowers, the River Indigo will make a fitting addition to the park-like grounds of Settlers Park Retirement Village.
Bright as a button and surrounded by fellow residents, Mrs Milln helped add another living landmark to grounds that have been shaped and cared for by generations before her.
Chairman of the Residents & Services Committee, Eddie Brown, shared some background on the tree and reflected on the significance of planting it during our 40th anniversary year.
It was a simple ceremony, but one that connected beautifully with a story that began long before Settlers Park Retirement Village itself.
One of the things people remark on most when they visit is our wonderful park-like setting. The magnificent trees and established gardens that surround us did not simply happen. They are the legacy of generations of people who came before us.
The story stretches back to the 1800s, when Usher’s Corner was a trading post, and continues through the many chapters that followed. Over the years, Boards, Managers, Estate Managers and Residents have all contributed something to the place we know today.
Some planted trees. Others planted gardens, ideas, traditions and friendships. Some built, improved and invested in the facilities, amenities and innovations that have enriched life here. From generation to generation, each has planted something for those who would follow.
Today, we enjoy the shade of trees planted by people who could not possibly have known who would one day sit beneath them.
And now, another tree has been planted.
As Settlers Park Retirement Village celebrates 40 years, it seems fitting to acknowledge all those who have gone before us and added something of their own to this remarkable place, while continuing that tradition for those who will come after us.
One hundred and three years of life. Forty years of Settlers Park Retirement Village. And one newly planted River Indigo tree with its whole future ahead of it.
Here’s to deep roots, new beginnings and leaving something good behind.
