Defending Houston’s Trees — This Root Ball’s Branches Reach Across 47 Different Zip Codes

What: Trees for Houston  “Root Ball: Branching Out”

Where: The Forest Club

PC Moment: It was a record breaking Root Ball evening when 440 tree-loving Houstonians ponied up $600,000 in support of Trees For Houston’s mission to plant, protect and promote trees throughout the Greater Houston area. Since its founding in 1983 the nonprofit has enriched the urban canopy of the Bayou City with more than 800,000 trees with saplings planted across 47 zip codes.

Planting projects range from esplanades and trails to parks and schools, wherever trees will benefit the public by creating shade, beauty and cleaner air.

The al fresco evening, which was celebrated in a party tent erected on the club’s clay tennis courts, was chaired by Sheila Condon , principal owner of Clark Condon landscape architecture firm, and Julie Japhet, partner in the Japhet Bates Collective art consultancy. Both share a sense of esthetics that fully embraces the importance of the urban canopy, with both talking about that to the gathering.

Trees for Houston chairman Rhett Rentrop, principal with SWA,  a global collective of landscape architects, set the stage for the evening that included a moving video presentation showcasing the heart and soul of the beloved nonprofit — the dedicated students of Annunciation Orthodox School, the unwavering passion of lead volunteer James Yee, and the invaluable support of corporate partner EOG Resources. Many were moved to tears by the powerful testimonials presented in the video.

PC Seen: Trees for Houston executive director Barry Ward, Mark Wilson, Larry Meacham, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Margaret and Jason Cooper, Meredith and David Symonds, Ginnie and Tim McConn, Melissa and Barton Kelly, Bobbi and Jonathan Worbington, Cheryl and Bill King, Lisa Helfman and Lee Haverman, Guy Hagstette, Lacey Dalcour Salas, Becky and Seth Flechsig, Molly and Don Glentzer, Susanna and Palmer Moldower, Mary and John Elkins, Jenny and Larry Nettles, Martha and John Britton, Kendall and Doug Knaus, and Claudia and Brad Freels.