Local News
Team Tree plants their thanks
OTTUMWA — David Cooney, a seasoned RAGBRAI rider from Muscatine, saw how much time and effort the overnight communities worked to prepare for the thousands of riders and decided to do something.
About six years ago, he started Team Tree, a team of riders who plant a tree in every overnight stop on their bicycle ride across Iowa.
“I thought there ought to be a way to thank them,” Cooney said.
Cooney contacts the city parks department in each town and finds out where they would like the tree to be planted and what type of tree they would like.
In Ottumwa, they planted a Golden Raindrop Crabapple tree in Central Park Thursday afternoon. It was the team’s 38th tree. By the end of the week, they will have planted 40 trees since the team started.
“The main purpose is to thank the city,” said Ken Cook, of Denver, Colo.
Cook and Cooney said they have been back to some of the towns where they have planted a tree, like Iowa City, Bellvue and Muscatine.
“And it has environmental value. Maybe other people do something similar for the towns, like stop at a nursing home, but planting a tree is our way of saying thank you,” Cooney said.
So far, they have planted trees at schools, libraries, courthouse lawns, ball fields and city parks. In years past, they have planted oak and maple trees or any type the city requests.
“[RAGBRAI] is an Iowa-born thing, and I’m really proud to be a member of this state,” Cooney said. “It’s bought attention to places I’ve never seen. And people from all over the world ride.”
The team gets funding help from Melon City Bike Club in Muscatine and donations from other RAGBRAI riders.
Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or by e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.
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