Plant a tree, help the Earth

CELINA - A Celina family of four spent the last few days planting trees along the Celina-Coldwater bike path to enhance the area's natural beauty, honor Earth Day and inspire others to follow suit in caring for the planet.

Fred and Marina LeJeune and their two sons, Kristian and Lukas, got to work on Friday and finished up on Monday by watering and staking the trees that they hope will flourish and provide shade and comfort for residents in the years ahead.

"This is all in celebration of Earth Day. We wanted to share these 21 newly planted trees on the Celina end of the bike path," Fred LeJeune told the newspaper. "We just saw a tremendous opportunity. That's such a heavily traveled area for residents as well as visitors coming into town."

They planted a mix of maple, oak, blue spruce and Norway spruce trees known to grow well in the area, at the recommendation of Pat Sudhoff, owner of Sudhoff Tree Farm and Produce in Fort Recovery.

"They're very nice, healthy trees, so I want to express my thanks to Sudhoff Farm in helping us select such wonderful trees and in helping with delivery and hole digging," Marina LeJeune said. "We tried to do it by hand, and then we had to call Mr. Sudhoff and say, 'Please, come here with the auger.' "

Fred and Marina LeJeune described the planting as a labor-intensive but highly enjoyable affair, with Kristian LeJeune, 24, doing much of the heavier work. The older son is in his third year of studying optometry at The Ohio State University. Since the school is closed due Gov. Mike DeWine's shutdown order, he was able to help.

The family about six years ago planted the first batch of trees in the same location.

"This wave of trees really starts to tighten things up so that we not only have trees existing, but we have shade trees so people can, down the road, have a picnic or take a break from a long bike ride and enjoy the shade that we have created," Fred LeJeune said.

The family aims to spark communitywide involvement in planting trees and tending to the environment at large. Fred LeJeune said his wife, who is involved with a local garden club and Celina Farmers Market, is trying to forge solidarity with the movement.

People must act to be the change they want to see in the world, Fred LeJeune noted, saying everyone enjoys the fresh air provided by trees.

"We're a very Christian community, and we think that God is truly signaling all of us to plant more trees in the world and take care of Mother Nature," he explained. "For me, I believe it's a huge act of love to plant trees with your children and again, impact the children's generation the best that you can since they're going to actually inherent Earth from us. We want to do all that we can."

Fred LeJeune finds working outdoors soothing, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. He's an anesthetist on staff at three hospitals in Lima, working in a very high-risk environment.

"It's very refreshing and it's revitalizing from a long day at work to come home to do something outside and really enjoy what God and Mother Nature has provided us," he said. "So we have to take good, kind care of it."

Having said that, Marina LeJeune is clearly the green thumb of the family. She spearheaded the tree project and the push to get others involved, he pointed out.

"Planting trees, I think, is the easiest thing to do (in) ratio of labor to long-term benefit, the labor you put into it and the benefits you reap out of it down the road," Marina Lejuene said.

She recalled picking and eating fresh fruit and vegetables in her grandmother's garden while growing up in the nation of Russia. When the family moved to an apartment, they grew vegetables on a small plat of land called a dacha that supplemented their diets.

Today in Celina, Marina LeJeune grows tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, apples, pears, grapes and strawberries, she said.

"I actually grow enough I sometimes give away to neighbors and even do a little bit of canning of my own," she said.

She's been able to take her mind off the pandemic through digging and pruning outdoors.

"I think it's very therapeutic so I would hope that people maybe would consider doing something like that that would help in the times that we're experiencing right now," she said.

She said she's happy to share her knowledge of gardening with others in the community.

Fred LeJeune was a Republican city councilman for four years. During his tenure he aggressively pushed council to spotlight and further enhance the city parks, which he believes are one of the city's top attractions. He played a large role in amending city policies and drafting new violations to address free-roaming dogs and the feces they leave behind, alcohol consumption and garbage dumping in city parks.

Furthermore, to spur community involvement, LeJuene hosted numerous park cleanup days, adding in a treasure hunt to entice children to help out while socializing, working hand-in-hand with adults and getting some sun and fresh air.