Evalynn Joyce is the winner of the 2026 Wellsville Tree Board poster contest!
From the Village of Wellsville Tree Board
Pictured from left, Susan Duke, Wellsville Tree Board Chairman, Rachel Gunzberger, Fifth Grade Teacher and Arbor Day Coordinator Ken Didion, Wellsville Village Board trustee and Tree Board Liasion and DEC Forester Chris Enser
Wellsville celebrated its 35th year as being recognized as an official Tree City USA Monday with the annual tree planting ceremony at the Wellsville Elementary School, under the auspices of the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Village of Wellsville trustee and Tree Board liaison Ken Didion read Mayor Ed Fah’s official proclamation designating the special day to an outdoor gathering of the Wellsville Fifth-graders, their teachers; Rachel Gunzburger, Stephanie Viglietta, Heather Brubaker, Dan Allen, Mrs. Rocchio, Mrs. Havey, and parents and official attendees, and a new Japanese Maple tree.
Wellsville Tree Board president Susan Duke welcomed the students recognizing tree board members Stacey Cretekos and Oak Duke in attendance, along with members Eva Thompson, Walter Gardner, and Barry Glickstein unable to make the ceremony.
She then announced Evalynn “Evie” Joyce, winner of the annual Wellsville Tree Board poster contest. The winning entry is framed and to hang in the Wellsville Village offices for one year, replacing last year’s Tree Board Poster contest winner. Ellyson Cerullo’s poster was runnerup, and a tie for third place was awarded to Andrew Smith and Ezra Ferguson.
The Fifth-graders read poems after an introduction by Jaydee Davis, including; What Trees Give Us by Walker Tubbs, Neighbors by Noah Prescott, Standing Tall by Iris O’Connor, The Giving Tree by Sallie Koon, Our Promise by Shya Torres Rivera, Roots and Branches by Ivan Sassaman, and Today We Plant by Stephen Loucks.
Chris Enser, a forestry consultant with the New York State Department of Conservation also gave a presentation on trees to the entire gathering, and then with the excited help of the students, planted the new maple tree in front of the school.
