Tree Donation Program Cancel The title field is required!

1. Ladd Klinton R

   
   1/31/2013 2:01 PM

   Hello everyone,
   My club is privately owned (without a board) and we are looking to start up a program to encourage members to purchase/donate trees around the property. However, we would also like to be very careful how we word this to them. We want to make sure that it is very clear that we will decide where the trees will be placed. I was wondering if anyone had any input or maybe already had a similar document that they have used in the past. Any info or thoughts would be helpful.
   
   Thanks,
   Klint Ladd
   Stillmeadow Country Club

   
   
   
   
2. Niemier Rick A

   
   1/31/2013 5:01 PM

   Klinton Ladd said: Hello everyone,
   My club is privately owned (without a board) and we are looking to start up a program to encourage members to purchase/donate trees around the property. However, we would also like to be very careful how we word this to them. We want to make sure that it is very clear that we will decide where the trees will be placed. I was wondering if anyone had any input or maybe already had a similar document that they have used in the past. Any info or thoughts would be helpful.
   
   Thanks,
   Klint Ladd
   Stillmeadow Country Club

   
   
   Tell them they can donate to a "tree fund" and have plan of where on the golf course you are going to plant the trees. Have a plaque in the clubhouse and for a minimum dollar amount (maybe $100 or more) their name will be added to the plaque. NO markers/monuments/plaques on the golf course. This way you can decide what kind of tree and where it will be planted. If a member buys a tree and you plant it and it dies the next year then who is responsible to replace it?

   
   
   
   
3. Justin Murray

   

   0 posts
   
   2/1/2013 8:02 AM

   We did this a few years back and we had success with it $ wise. We gave them a list of trees with a value and let them pick the tree they wanted. Problem with this was as example, we did not need 20 flowering cherry trees but members bought them cause they were the lowest value tree we had. I would do like Rick suggested and let them donate to the "Landscape Fund" that way you can pick out where and what to plant. Ill try to find ours and send it to you.

   
   
   
   
4. Ladd Klinton R

   
   2/1/2013 1:02 PM

   I don't think a general "landscape fund" will work for us. I believe we will have a hard time convincing people to donate to the fund without them knowing exactly where on the course their $ has gone. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be more work for me figuring out around 15-25 locations, species and price before we can even get this thing started. I like the idea of the plaque in the pro-shop to keep monuments off the course.

   
   
   
   
5. David Brandenburg

   

   3 posts
   
   2/2/2013 9:02 PM

   We do not necessarily need more trees but they are good memorial gifts. I made up a list of possible locations along with a list of possible trees. We are flexible with the type of tree to a point. We give the customers the choice of going to professional nurseries and paying for the tree themselves but most just donate the money and we pick out the tree.
   
   We always plant the tree with our staff and offer the family to come help/watch.
   
   We also have a plaque in the golf shop with the name, type of tree, location, year and who donated the tree.

   
   
   
   
6. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   2/5/2013 7:02 AM

   If you don't need trees then benches ,water cooler stations also make good memorials and they don't die as much.We have too many deer ,weed eaters and mower mishaps so I try and steer away from tree memorials.

   
   
   
   
7. James Smith

   

   113 posts
   
   2/5/2013 2:02 PM

   we did this two years ago with live oaks. what we did was took donations for each tree which we purchased in advance. we laid out the positions where they could chose from. no other positions were made available and we kept with only Live oaks telling them they would add value to their course and it was one of the longest living trees we could plant. we did not offer plaques for the trees due to maintaining them. it went on a first come first serve basis and they were all called memorial trees with me purchasing the first two, one for a recently deceased member and the other for my pet that had just passed away. everyone followed suit. it was simple and since we purchased the trees we knew we would get all of them the same size and in great health.

   
   
   
   
8. Ladd Klinton R

   
   2/9/2013 2:02 PM

   Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the replies...
   
   Klint Ladd
   Stillmeadow CC

   
   
   
   
9. Robert Shetter

   

   3 posts
   
   2/28/2013 10:02 PM

   Kliton,
   
   When I arrived at my current course they had a tree fund. The course was over planted. Oak trees were spaced 10 yards apart and it was a joke. i turned the program into a arbor management fund. Now the fund is used for the maintenance of our existing stand of trees as well including corrective pruning, dead wooding, removal and stump grinding. I still use it to plant trees but it is much more managed now.

   
   
   
   
10. Jeffrey Smelser

    

    2 posts
    
    3/8/2013 11:03 AM

    Klinton,
    
    I just finished our 2013 Beautification Program.
    
    Our greens committee sent letters to all our members and asked for donations for the 2013 Beautification Program.
    All monies donated will be used to purchase palm trees and planted throughout club grounds as recommended by greens committee. All areas were approved by myself, we considered mowing, irrigation, playability and aesthetics.
    
    We sent letters out in January 2013 Statements and as of March 7, we have received $16,550. We have marked locations for 45 Sable Palm Trees and will hold remaining funds until fall to plant in areas that may have been missed.
    
    Jeff Smelser, CGCS