Centennial Grove honors Stanley Draper Jr.
The Greater Oklahoma City Tree Bank recently planted a Centennial Grove along the shoreline of the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City to honor longtime civic promoter Stanley Draper Jr.
Draper died May 27, 2006. He was 83.
William J. Kopplin, a board member and volunteer for The Tree Bank Foundation, initiated the statewide program to plant Centennial Groves of 100 or more trees by communities and civic organizations in commemoration of the Oklahoma Centennial this year. Groves are planted on public land or land accessible to the public.
Oklahoma City’s Centennial Grove in is one-half mile south of Reno Avenue and east of Pennsylvania Avenue.
David Yost, an Oklahoma City developer and board member of The Tree Bank Foundation, donated trees for the grove and most of the trees were grown on Yost’s tree farm. Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department employees planted trees on property owned by the Oklahoma City Riverfront Redevelopment Authority.
Tree species include Loblolly Pine, Shumard Oak, Eastern Redbud, bald cypress, sycamore, Desert-willow, Goldenrain tree and Lacebark Elm.
“This is a living tribute to Stanley Draper Jr.; a man who loved Oklahoma City deeply and was the heart of The Tree Bank (Foundation),” Yost said. “As founder and executive director of the Oklahoma City All-Sports Association, Stanley advanced athletics in this town. We think a tree grove by the Oklahoma River with its many sporting events and a backdrop of Oklahoma City’s skyline is a perfect venue to honor Stanley.”
Draper served as president of The Tree Bank Foundation for six years and was a member of the organization’s board of director for 17 years.
Organizations interested in planting a grove may call The Tree Bank Foundation at 330-4701, e-mail treebankok@msn.com or visit the Web site www.thetreebank.org.
Two dozen Centennial Groves have been completed, are in progress or are in the planning stages. Fourteen groves are in the Oklahoma City area.
Brian Sargent
Staff Writer
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