Operation 1000 Cherry Trees

Operation 1000 Cherry Trees

On July 30th, local dignitaries were joined by the Honorable Kuninari Matsuda, Consul General of Japan, who came down from Detroit, MI to kick off the Operation 1000 Cherry Trees Project. This initiative is intended to be a symbol of lasting friendship between the US and Japan. It not only commemorates the 100th anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC, but is also symbolic of Japan’s gratitude for the assistance received from the US following the tragic events resulting from the tsunami that struck the Japanese coastline in March of 2011.

The goal of the project is to plant 1,000 cherry trees in the Dayton area, thereby also helping to shape the region’s visual image over the course of time, much as the cherry trees planted in Washington DC have come to shape part of its history. The Dayton area’s connections to Japan are strong. Montgomery County is home to 13 Japanese-owned facilities that employ nearly 2,000 local workers, and Wright Patterson AFB was instrumental in the delivery of many relief supplies following last year’s disaster.

New developments in the Dayton region are encouraged to consider incorporating cherry trees into their development and landscaping designs. The project leaders are working to continue funding to the project and encourage interested donors to visit the project’s website at: www.operation1000cherrytrees.com. Also, visit their Facebook page. The project will see to the planting of the trees as funds are made available, until 1,000 trees have been planted. Donations are being managed by the Dayton Foundation.

Although it may take a few years to reach their goal of 1,000 trees, two Yoshino cherry trees were planted as part of the kick-off event at the end of July, and it is hoped that another 20 will be planted by the end of October, with 10 anticipated for Carillon Park and another 10 for the Dayton Art Institute. Other communities in the region are also considering planting some of the trees.

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Operation 1000 Cherry Trees.

Operation 1000 Cherry Trees - Alex Hara is a Japanese-born businessman living in Dayton, Ohio. When a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami shook his homeland in 2011, he watched the devastation on television helplessly from thousands of miles away. Though saddened by the events, he was inspired by the rapid response of the American military and the willingness of the American people to donate their money, products, and time to people half a world away. This was the birth of Operation 1000 Cherry Trees.