2024 Green Gala Program

the Green Gala

celebrating 2024 tree champion

Audrey Platt

Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 6 o’clock

Tiedeman Park on the Atlantic Mall 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

Directors Emeriti

Lynda Beam

Dale Thorpe

Suzanne Williams

Shem Kendrick

Drew Ruttinger

Jody Trumbull

Marjorie Young

Phillip Zellner

Staff

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.

6:00 Cocktails

7:15 Welcome Remarks

Matthew Hallett, President

7:30 Dinner Buffet Opens

8:15 2024 Tree Champion Award

Presented to Audrey Platt

Zoe Rinker, Executive Director

9:00 Silent Auction Closes

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

Audrey Platt

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.

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.

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

Asplundh Tree Expert

Atlas Surveying

Laura Ballock

The Bockius-Suwyn Family

Joan and David Chalikian

Cobia Clarke Nursery

Environmental Design

Ethos Preservation

Georgia Ports Authority

Goodwill of Southeast Georgia

Happy Trees Bonsai

Herc Rentals

HOS Management

Travis London and Bruce Patrick

Jane Long

Jolly Foundation

Jim and Dottie Kluttz

Karen Karp

Maura Sovchen

Minis & Company

Kristin and Mickey Ott

Pace Lighting

Platinum Paving and Concrete

Pratt Industries

Rooted Gatherings

Sandpiper Supply

Steve and Patricia Stephens

Thomas & Hutton

United Rentals

Auction Preview

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

Savannah Bananas Tickets + Signed Jersey Stay and Cooking Class for 2 at Hotel Bardo

Four-Night Stay at Historic Tybee Beach House

“Marsh Painting” by Maddie Grace