Graphic Packaging donates a tree for to be planted every time a home run is hit by a Growlers player at Homer Stryker Field to help the Leaf-A-Legacy Tree Planting Project.

The project is looking for volunteers to “Leaf” a legacy for the next generation and help reach the goal of planting 400 trees in the next two years in parks in Portage, MI.

Plant a tree at Celery Flats with your neighbors, family, and friends on Sunday, October 27. Please wear close-toed shoes or boots and be prepared to work outside for a minimum of two hours. Live music, food, and drink will be available during this activity. Supplies and instructions for tree planting will be provided.

Only native trees, recommended by our forester for the correct ecosystem location, tree species, and plant diversity will be planted in the parks.

Trees will be planted in areas where they are needed most. Every donation will receive a personalized “Leaf-A-Legacy” donor certificate, either in your name or to honor or memorialize someone special.

The goal is to plant at least 400 trees (approximately six to eight feet tall) over the next two years.

This effort will revitalize Portage, reforest our natural lands, and provide homes and food for wildlife, as well as clean air and water for future generations.

The Growlers hit 44 total home runs in 2024. For each home run, a tree will be planted in the greater-Kalamazoo area.

The May 7, 2024 tornado devastated Portage, destroying thousands of trees, and hitting the Celery Flats Historical Area and the Portage Creek Bicentennial Park trail especially hard. Together we can restore the lush forests that make Portage a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

According to nature.org, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and store it in its wood which slows up the gas’s buildup in our atmosphere. This process is also called photosynthesis.

Trees also boost mental health, raise physical health, give homes to wildlife, and provide shade. The leaves of trees filter air pollution including particulate matter – this filtration occurs best within 100 feet of the tree.