Rotary Club of Washington, DC Cherry Tree Planting Ceremony

April 4, 2007 

Rotary Club of Washington, DC Cherry Tree Planting Ceremony: Summary

Draft 4-2-07

Overview

The National Park Service—Rotary Club of Washington, DC  April 4, 2007 Cherry tree planting ceremony and donation event will be held at 11:00 am just below the Tidal Basin between the Inlet Bridge and the George Mason Memorial Bridge.  The Cherry tree planting will be held between Ohio Drive and the Potomac River, across the road from the George Mason Memorial.  The site is within a grassed area close to the Potomac River inlet to the Tidal Basin.  Parking spaces have been reserved for Rotary guests in Parking Lot A.

Audience size:  50 people

It will serve four purposes: 

1) to thank and commemorate Ambassador Kato's and other recent presentations to the Rotary Club; 

2) commemorate with the 25th anniversay of the D.C. Club's association with the Tokyo Club; a representative of the Tokyo Club will be present and say a few words; 

3) to welcome the visit of 24 Rotarians and guests from the the Paris 

Academic Club who are starting this year a cooperative relationship with the D.C. Club similar to the long-standing one with Tokyo; and 

4) to celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Club's planting of 200 trees to sustain this wonderful spring event in Washington which Japan so graciously initiated.  

5)  to present Chief of Police Cathy Lanier with an honorary membrship certificate.

 

Schedule

The timeline is as follows: 

11:05 a.m. Rob Warne opens the Cherry tree planing 

celebration 

11:07 a.m. Mr. Peter Gilsey will speak

11:10 p.m.  Rob introduces the speaker __________ from the Tokyo Club, 

The recognition plaque will be presented the representative of the Tokyo Club. He will also be asked to speak.

11:12 a.m., Mr. Jean Ozonder of the Rotary Academic Club of Paris 

Jean will say a few words [We expect 24 French Rotarian visitors].

11:14 a.m. Mrs. Hanayo Kato, wife of the Ambassador Ryozo Kato  

Rob calls on Mrs. Kato for a few words.  Hopefully Mrs. Kato could speak briefly on how the Cherry tress symbolize close Japanese-American friendship.

11:16 a.m., the Regional Director of the National Park Service, Mr. Joseph Lawler, will say a few words. 

11:25 a.m. Assistant Regional Director, Mr. Glenn Eugster will ask all 

participants to participate in the planting by putting in a 

shovel full of dirt. 

Plaque Language

The plaque is in honor of all speakers to the Rotary Club of Washington, D.C. It should particularly commemorate the following: 

The National Park Service, with great appreciation,

has planted a Cherry tree along the Tidal Basin

in Washington, D.C. in recognition for the 25 years of close, warm association of the Rotary Clubs of Tokyo and Washington, D.C."