Joliet encourages tree planting with Slammers sapling giveaway

Joliet — The Channahon Mustangs Little League baseball team commemorated a belated Earth Day and Arbor Day with assistance from D’Arcy GMC on Saturday by giving out saplings at the Joliet Slammers game.

Joliet arborist and Channahon baseball board member Jim Teiber said the giveaway was meant as a way to celebrate the environmental holidays and encourage residents to plant trees.

“We gave out 300 white pine and ponderosa pine saplings, and they went up within 15 minutes,” Teiber said. “This was the second year we did this, and last year I was concerned that a bunch of them were going to be forgotten about or left behind in the stadium, but not a single one has been.”

The trees were donated by D’Arcy Buick-GMC, which is owned by Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy.

Teiber’s sons Carl and Tanner and their teammates Walker Hill and Jett Kelsy helped hand out the trees, something Teiber said the Slammers are very supportive of.

“They appreciate us giving the trees away, so they let us do it at the game,” Teiber said. “They’re all for beautifying the community.”

The Slammers previously partnered with the Channahon Mustangs as “baseball buddies” for the opening night game May 10. Players on the Little League team were announced with the Slammers players and invited to run onto the field with the team for the national anthem.