iTrees.com and Spring Grove Nursery have partnered together to form Planting Peace – Growing Hope 2020.

During the month of April, we asked members of our community to send in nominations for our community healthcare professionals. Our healthcare professionals have been on the front lines of stressful uncertain situations daily, and have been working extra hard to keep us all safe and healthy. To show our appreciation we wanted to provide a little bit of beauty and calmness to our healthcare professionals home sanctuary by planting a tree in their yard for them to enjoy for many years to come. Trees bring us the peace, beauty, stress relief, and the health we are seeking during these uncertain times. During the course of the month we received a total of 8 nomination and had decided to award all of our nominees with a large Autumn Blaze Maple to be planted where they choose. One Wednesday, July 15^th iTrees.com and Spring Grove Nursery had a wonderful day planting these trees in each of our recipient’s yards. We are so thankful for all our healthcare professionals and we understand the important role they play in our community. We’d like to take some time to thank you all for everything you do on a daily basis.

We are all lucky to live in a community that has so many wonderful healthcare professionals taking care of us during this pandemic, and we are honored to recognize their efforts.

Our recipients for iTrees.com and Spring Grove Nursery’s Planting Peace – Growing Hope 2020 were Shannon Borgstrom, Stephanie Hauch, Tina Horkey, Michelle Pruim, Jen Poyner, Matt Niewinski, and Andrienne Citta. Here is what our nominators had to say about our recipients.

Shannon Borgstrom

Her friend writes, “Shannon is a nurse at Morris Hospital and her ward was turned into a covid ward.  She leaves 4 little boys at home, the youngest is 2, while she works 12+ hour shifts.   Then she comes home exhausted and tries to stay away from her children.  She’s been under tremendous stress yet through it all, she keeps an amazing attitude and always has time for a wave or chat with neighbors.”

Stephanie Hauch

About Stephanie, it says, “First she loves to work in her yard planting trees, bushes, and flowers!  Second, she is a nurse and during these times could use a special gift that would bring joy!  Third, she is a wonderful wife and mother to five children.”

Tina Horkey

Tina’s friend writes, “She is great at her job, but obviously is also putting her life in danger during the COVID crisis when she does her job. She would make a great recipient of a tree because like a tree she is strong on the inside and out and is an important part of our community ecosystem health.”

Michelle Pruim

Michelle is the Grundy County Health Department Administrator and her colleague writes, “She stays strong in her beliefs… She reports to work every day with a positive attitude and never lets the staff see her frustration, anxiety, or fear – even when numbers keep rising in the county.  She works endlessly with all county entities to make sure there is one concise message being relayed to the people of Grundy County. As concerned citizens called her for reassurance, she spoke to each one individually with compassion and understanding reassuring them all possible measures were being taken…I have always had respect for her way of leading a team with no drama, very diplomatic in decision making, and trustworthy.  I now have so much more respect for this lady who took her role as our Public Health Administrator so seriously and with much dedication all while continuing to be a wife and mom of two at home.  I ask you to seriously consider Michelle Pruim for the tree in appreciation of her staff, county residents, and clients we serve.  So many had to take the position of front liners during this COVID-19 response and many times Public Health is not recognized for the important role they play.”

Jen Poyner

About Jen, it says, “Jen is an ICU Nurse at Silver cross doing direct care on COVID patients. She works hard and picks upshifts. As a mother of 3 herself., she also is taking care of everyone else’s family.”

Adrienne Citta

Her neighbor writes, “We live next door to a nurse who is kicking butt working during this pandemic. She is working her regular shift and even signed up to be the registration nurse on midnights in the ER in Ottawa.”

Matt Niewinski

Matt is a fireman/paramedic for Palatine Fire Dept, and his nomination says this about him, “When Matt is not on the job, he’s always doing something for all of us. He’s fully aware he signed up for this line of work and does not want recognition for doing what he loves, but he certainly deserves a beautiful tree for always doing for others and expecting nothing in return. Matt has weathered both 9/11 and now Co-Vid 19, and I sure hope you find that he is a deserving recipient of a new tree that I know will be well taken care of.   I also hope this tree reminds Matt of what a selfless person he is, and to know that he is appreciated by his family.”

Elizabeth Cacello

About Elizabeth, “Elizabeth is a Nurse Practitioner at the Morris Hospital – Coal City/Diamond campus.  Elizabeth has been working hard to take care of those who are ill during this difficult time.  She is kind, caring, and makes sure that every patient she sees feels they are her only patient of the day.  Elizabeth has also had to juggle her workload with being a wife and mother to her family at home.  She comes home from work and assists her kids with their schoolwork and takes care of the household… I believe a tree would be the perfect way for their family to remember this most difficult and memorable time and to serve as a sign that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”

What an amazing project to be a part of. Here are some pics from a great day in the community. Enjoy!