Skip to main content
Saluting veterans through ‘Saluting Branches’ in South Dakota
cemetary

Saluting Branches is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring veterans by having arborists donate free trees at national cemeteries across the United States.

We had seven volunteers and were able to thin and shape eight flowering crabapple trees at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, South Dakota. Donations of time, materials, employees, equipment, prizes and lunch came from Black Hills Energy, Wright Tree Service, Vermeer High Plains and Black Hills National Cemetery, with volunteers contributing their time, equipment and knowledge.

The work completed included various types of pruning, climbing, operating an aerial lift, and managing and chipping debris. Terry Corkins, director of Black Hills National Cemetery, was very pleased with the work that was done and happily invited us back for next year’s event, which we are all looking forward to.

Learn more about Saluting Branches

We partner with our communities and customers, providing the kind of energy that fuels those areas and the lives of those we serve. Feel free to share the stories and photos. Follow us on FacebookInstagram, LinkedIn,Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest for more!

Positive Energy

  • Members of our Fayetteville, Arkansas, team celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a “green” activity: picking up trash along Armstrong Avenue. Armstrong Avenue is the road that leads to our Fayetteville Operations Center. Those participating in the cleanup were all employees of Fayetteville operations…
  • Through our partnership with local South Dakota schools, the LivingWise school-based education program helps students discover ways to use energy more efficiently while they learn about energy conservation and cost savings. By participating in the education program, students receive an efficiency…
  • Employees of the Harrison, Arkansas, division recently pooled their resources to purchase an entire shopping cart of Easter candy for local foster children. This donation was given to The Call in Baxter County and placed in baskets to be distributed Easter morning to the foster children. The Call…
  • Our Ozark division continued its tradition of supporting Arkansas Run for the Fallen, an annual event that honors Arkansas service members who have died while serving on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. Runners began the 155-mile run in Ozark, Arkansas, on March 17. Robert Irvin, a lead…