2024 Green Gala Program

the Green Gala celebrating 2024 tree champion

Audrey P latt Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 6 o’clock Tiedeman Park o n the Atl a nti c Ma l l presented by

Savannah Tree Foundation Staff and Board welcome you to the Third Annual Green Gala!

Board of Directors Matthew Hallett, President Ellen Harris, Vice President Patti King, Treasurer Karen Karp, Secretary Pitch Powers, Past President

Laura Ballock Benjamin Baxter Brandy Blige Adams Amy Gutting William Haws

Shem Kendrick Drew Ruttinger Jody Trumbull Marjorie Young Phillip Zellner

Directors Emeriti

Staff

Lynda Beam Dale Thorpe Suzanne Williams

Zoe Rinker Kathryn Erickson Kelsey Kirpich Kristopher Johnston Matthew White

With your support, Savannah Tree Foundation protects and grows Chatham County’s urban forest through tree planting, community engagement, and advocacy.

Program Please enjoy cocktails and passed hos d’oeurves under our iconic tree canopy, then make your way to your table for a buffet dinner and brief award presentation.

6:0 0

Cockta i ls

7:15

We lcome Re mar ks Matthew Hallett, President

7:3 0

D i n n e r B u f f e t Op ens

8:15

2 024 Tr e e C h a m p io n Awar d Pr e se n te d to Au d r ey Pl at t Zoe Rinker, Executive Director

9:0 0 Si le n t Au cti on C los es Thank you to our 2024 Event Committee Kim Bockius-Suwyn, Co-Chair Christiana Turner, Co-Chair Ashleigh Aiello Kristen Baird Bill Kelso

Patti King Jess Mikell Annie Rockwell

2024 Tree Champion

Audrey P latt

Savannah Tree Foundation is proud to honor longtime supporter and community leader Audrey Platt as the 2024 Tree Champion. Audrey has led decades-long efforts to protect and restore Forsyth Park as well as other green spaces throughout Savannah. Her work with the Trustees Garden Club and as a member of the Park and Tree Commission have made a tangible difference in the downtown fabric of our beloved city.

Spanning from the Forsyth Fragrance Garden to the Catholic Cemetery to her own backyard, Audrey has planted and preserved trees and gardens that will benefit future generations.

Thanks to her advocacy and vision, locals and visitors alike will continue enjoying the natural beauty of Savannah.

Click below to watch a brief video about Audrey’s work to protect and beautify Savannah’s green spaces.

1110 BULL STREET

R E S E RVAT I O N S R E C O M M E N D E D

912 790 9000

2023-2024 Season The 2024 Green Gala marks the end to a game-changing year for Savannah Tree Foundation!

Thanks to support from our community partners and a $1 million four-year grant from the Georgia Forestry Commission, the organization has doubled in size since last spring, with a goal 8 full-time staff by June 2024.

The additional staff members will support two new programs, the Chatham Canopy Corps and the Community Tree Nursery. Both programs will debut this summer.

Even with all these changes and growth, we had a very successful 2024-2025 planting season, giving away 1,100 trees and planting 339 trees across a record 22 sites in Chatham County.

That’s nearly 1,500 new trees for our region!

Thank you to all the donors, community partners, volunteers, and corporate sponsors who helped make the season a success!

And a special thank you to Gulfstream Aerospace, our Georgia Arbor Month and Magnolia Event Sponsor

New Programs The Chatham Canopy Corps program is aimed at breaking down barriers to employment and promoting diversity in the arboriculture industry. Through handson training in tree care, job readiness, and financial literacy, participants will gain valuable skills while contributing to the expansion of our urban canopy.

The apprentices’ tree planting efforts will focus on historically underserved communities that lack sufficient tree canopy. The program will last four years, hosting three full-time, paid apprentices each year. At the end of the grant-term, Savannah Tree Foundation will have trained 12 apprentices and planted over 1,600 trees. The first cohort starts in June 2024.

In partnership with Dulany Industries, who has donated an acre of land at its Seapoint Industrial site, Savannah Tree Foundation is excited to launch its own tree nursery! Our goal is to grow our own native, locally-adapted trees to boost our tree planting and distribution efforts throughout Coastal Georgia. We expect to produce 2,000+ trees per year, as well as host several educational and volunteer events on site. This vertical integration reduces our costs and our carbon footprint from shipping in trees from out of state.

The nursery opens this month.

Tree Nursery

Thank you to

Presenting Live Oak Sponsor

Magnolia Sponsor

Tupelo Sponsors

Audrey Platt

Lillian Proveaux and Kerry Breitbart

Dale Thorpe

our Sponsors

Poplar Sponsors

Craig and Diana Barrow

Eleanor Rhangos and Dan Bromstad

Cypress Sponsors Annie Rockwell Jane Long Asplundh Tree Expert Jolly Foundation Atlas Surveying Jim and Dottie Kluttz Laura Ballock Karen Karp The Bockius-Suwyn Family Maura Sovchen Joan and David Chalikian Minis & Company Cobia Clarke Nursery Kristin and Mickey Ott Environmental Design Pace Lighting Ethos Preservation Platinum Paving and Concrete Georgia Ports Authority Pratt Industries Goodwill of Southeast Georgia Rooted Gatherings Happy Trees Bonsai Sandpiper Supply Herc Rentals Steve and Patricia Stephens HOS Management Thomas & Hutton Travis London and Bruce Patrick United Rentals

Auction Preview

Four-Night Stay at Historic Tybee Beach House

“Marsh Painting”

by Maddie Grace

Savannah Bananas Tickets + Signed Jersey

Stay and Cooking Class for 2 at Hotel Bardo

The silent auction will be held online, including night-of bidding.

To ensure a seamless experience, please consider registering to bid before the evening begins.

REGISTER