Today I got a call from a local friend and fellow adoptive parent, Toby Welch. Toby and her husband have 2 kids adopted from India, and the whole family traveled with me on my last adoptee heritage tour to India.
We've socialized with Toby and her family from time to time over the years, and she's also gotten to know Peter during baseball practices at our local park. Peter has never been interested in playing a sport, but during baseball season he loves riding his bike to Laurel Park and helping the coaches in whatever way he can. Peter loves to be of service, and he's endeared himself to many people this way.
Toby decided that she'd like to honor Peter for all his help at the park, so she called up the Skokie Park District and enquired about the possibility of planting a tree in his name. She wanted to do it now, while Peter could enjoy being honored, rather than later. The Park District said that it's not too late to plant a tree, so as a result, the tree planting is on for this Monday at 11:00 a.m.!
The tree will be planted before Monday, but they'll save some shovelfulls of dirt for him to add at the end. A couple of people from the Park District will make little speeches. Later, when the tree leafs out, a few new leaves will be taken and bronzed, then hung on the wall at the Park District's Weber Center along with a plaque dedicated to Peter.
I can't think of a good way to express how much this means to us. Local friends, if you can join us, Laurel Park is off Oakton a few blocks to the northeast of Niles West High School.
Watch this space for photos
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