Two years ago tornado-force winds swept across Holland and thru the Hope campus uprooting many trees.
The destruction changed the physical landscape, but not the determination of the college to begin a replacement program. Alumni and friends of the college contributed to a tree replacement fund.
New trees were planted this week by the Hope College grounds crew.
One, an American (Princeton) Elm (pictured left) had a very special meaning because it was planted in honor of retiring President Jim Bultman and his wife Martie. The tree was planted at the exact location near Voorhees Hall where an American Elm believed to be older than Hope College itself (160 years old) was toppled on July 11, 2011. Dr. Bultman will retire as Hope's 11th president on June 30th.
Two other memory trees were also replanted, a Tulip Poplar in honor of Beatrice Mae Visser Ten Hoor, Class of 1934 and wife of English professor the late Henry Ten Hoor, and a Yellowwood honoring Hope's first (1866) graduating class.
See Photos from July, 2011 Storm