This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

2B • WEDNESDAY, JULY 18,2012
THE SEA COAST ECHO
The Cat in the Hat ‘branches out’ in BSL
SEA COAST ECHO
The Bay Waveland Garden Club and the Hancock County Historical Society Live Oak tree registry program are pleased to announce that big old Live Oak at the Hancock County Boys and Girls Club in Bay St. Louis will be registered and has been given a unique name, "The Cat In The Hat.”
The five- and six-year-old children in Mrs. fwanczyk and Ms. Quantella Lee's classroom were responsible for giv-,_ ing this tree a name as part of an Arbor Day project the Garden Club began with the B&G Club in 2011. The garden club had promised to plant a new tree for the Boys and Girls Club but had to wait for another Arbor Day for the final construction on this property to be finished
-	all a part of the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
The center is one of the historic buildings that was brought back to life for a new use. Its 65-year history began when it was built as a high school for the black children in Bay St. Louis and was commis-si( -'I by Bishop Jone.s ar imed for his wife
Children from the Hancock County Boy's and Girl's Club assist Shawn Prychitko and Jim Canady as they measure the oak tree for registration.
Valena C. Jones. It was built in 1947 and after desegregation in 1969, the property has been used for other purposes, including a
senior center and a police and fire hall before becoming the present day Boys and Girls Club. When Valena C. Jones and
her husband chose the property, they would surely have noticed the large Live Oak that graced its grounds for it was already
moe than 100 years old then. Live Oaks that are more than 100 years old are recognized as trees that qualify to be registered by
our two local groups and the state Societe Des Arbres. When the garden club talked about coming out to plant the crepe myrtles for the school, the old oak tree was noticed and brought to the attention of the tree registrar as a tree we needed to measure and get registered.
The children had several visits from members of the garden club and the historical society to talk about the importance of maintaining and planting trees in our cities as well as watching three crepe myrtles get planted for them to water and enjoy. Through hearing an inspiring story, "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss - read to them by Mrs. Gretchin Thorp -they came up with the name for this old tree.
The children enjoyed helping Jim Canady and Shawn Prychitko measure the old oak and learn about the Live Oak program. The school will receive a plaque and certificates of its registry with both the state's registry program, Societe Des Arbres, and the local groups here with support from Gretchin and Ron Thorp as the local sponsors.