November 22, 1963 is a special date for most Americans . and especially for Dallasites. Fifty years ago next month, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on the streets of downtown Dallas. JFK was not only a well-known leader; he was also a lover of the natural environment and passionately supported green spaces.

He once said,"The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, "In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!'"

Not much can be rationalized from the murder of JFK; however, we do have the opportunity as a community to celebrate the life he lived and honor the passion he had for the environment.

On Saturday, November 16, the City of Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, in conjunction with the Texas Trees Foundation, have elected to plant 50 trees at Webb Community Park to honor the life, leadership and legacy of JFK.

This event is a part of a larger, city-wide initiative from the Texas Trees Foundation, Atmos Energy, Calloway' s Nursery, and The Meadows Foundation. Seven city events throughout Dallas-Fort Worth are planned from November 2-22, 2013, including participation from the cities of Dallas, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, and Rowlett.

"The Texas Trees Foundation is proud to be a part of honoring and celebrating the life of President Kennedy, stated Texas Trees Foundation President Janette Monear."A project involving seven cities around the area is a wonderful community endeavor and planting 2,000 trees in remembrance of our former President leaves a legacy for future generations."

If you would like to volunteer to help plant trees for JFK, please contact [email protected] to be added to the list and to receive further details. The volunteer plantings will kick-off at 9 a.m. on November 16, 2013, with an official dedication ceremony at 10:30 a.m. immediately following the plantings.