Colonnade

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Matthew Chambers

Wednesday afternoon beside the Old Courthouse, a new tree was planted in honor of a student who has dedicated much of his time to helping the needs of others.

Chris Turner, a senior management major, received the dedication for his tremendous amount of time and effort he put into helping to make his community better through the on-campus G.I.V.E center. Having a tree dedicated to an individual on campus is considered a special honor and is something the school only allows to be done once a year.

The ceremony began with Kendall Stiles, director of G.I.V.E., reading the book "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstien. A few children involved in Superstars, an afterschool program for elementary school kids, helped her read the book aloud by sharing the story of how one person's generosity can make an impact on the life of another.







The tree, a brandy wine red oak maple, was then placed into its hole where anyone who wanted to take part in the tree,could shovel soil into the hole around it. The oak tree was chosen because of the beautiful red colors that the leaves turn during the seasons.

"It's a win-win situation," Stiles said. "We get to pick who we want (to receive the dedication) and (the school) gets to pick the location."

Yasmiene Davis, a senior mass communication major, loved being a part of the experience.

The tree was planted "so their legacy can be remembered here," Davis said.

Along with the Superstars program, Turner also started Santa's Miracle Fund, a program that helps the families of sick hospitalized children enjoy the Christmas holiday a little bit easier. The fund was started in 2004, when Turner was a senior in high school. He was given a project for a class that could be on anything. After much contemplation in his basement, he came to the conclusion that he loved kids and that he wanted to do something that would make a difference in another's life.

"The whole idea is to give kids the best Christmas of their lives," Turner said.

Today, Santa's Miracle Fund has helped over 300 children of sick families in hospitals all over Georgia. Each child who participates receives $100 to Toys-R-Us to spend on whatever they wish, and if the family of the sickly child has more than one child, each child in the family also receives $100 to spend.

The tradition of planting a tree in dedication of someone is a tradition that will continue through the years. The first tree planted on campus in this ceremonial tradition still stands by the MSU lounge in dedication of the people in the Oklahoma City bombings.

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