Houston’s Tree Champions Keep Planting — It’s 800,000 New Trees For Houston and Counting
This Root Ball Makes a Priceless Greener City Cause Sink In
BY Shelby Hodge // 04.18.24Dancing in celebration of the Trees for Houston Root Ball meant plenty of fun. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Perhaps it’s true as poet Joyce Kilmer wrote “that only God can make a tree.” But with the help of Trees for Houston and its Root Ball, this year alone the Houston area will be enriched by some 70,000 additional saplings. That in part thanks to the $485,000 raised at the recent al fresco dinner dance held at the Forest Club.
The tree-loving throng of 400 would not be thwarted by rain and puddles on this evening as many arrived for the outdoor fête with umbrellas overhead. As one savvy observer noted, this was a group that appreciates the value of rain in giving life to trees. In fact the dinner setting was in a festive tent erected on one of the club’s clay tennis courts, surrounded by the vast nest of trees that gives the club its name.
Since its inception in 1983, Trees for Houston has planted 800,000 trees across the region.
The 30th anniversary “Root Ball” was chaired by Christiane and Kristopher Stuart and Carrie and Jerry Alexander and enjoyed the support of all 32 board members being in attendance. No small feat during the busy month of April.

and Carrie & Jerry Alexander (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
It has been a momentous year for Trees for Houston, which is dedicated to planting, promoting and protecting trees throughout the Greater Houston area. In October the nonprofit opened the Kinder Campus, Trees For Houston’s new headquarters including the Kyle and John Kirksey Center, Chevron Tree Farm and Bauer Education Center, all while increasing its annual tree planting and distribution numbers to more than 70,000 new trees.
Adding to the fundraising was the wine and spirits pull sponsored by Debbie and Mark Gregg and raffle of a must-have necklace from Zadok Jewelers. The evening concluded with dancing to the sounds of the The Grooves band.
PC Seen: Jenny and Larry Nettles, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Margaret and Jason Cooper, Meredith and David Symonds, Letty Knapp and Don Howell, Ginnie and Tim McConn, Christine and Mark Laborde, Kyle and John Kirksey, Meg and Dick Weekley, Bobbi and Jonathan Worbington, Bill King, Lisa Helfman, Guy Hagstette, City Council members Amy Peck and Sallie Alcorn, Randi Koenig, Abby Clark and Trees for Houston executive director Barry Ward.