Summit Hill's Memorial Park added four new trees to the borough's expansive arboretum collection of 475.

During the 17th annual memorial tree planting program held for Arbor Day, local Diligence Fire Company members were remembered with sweet gum, sunburst locust and linden trees planted in Memorial Park.John "Jackie" Stoudt, Quentin Miller and Claudia Sokol were remembered during the Shady Tree Commission and Historical Society's annual tree planting Saturday morning.Commission Chairman Lou Vermillion said community members such as teachers, doctors and founding fathers have been honored in the same style over the years.Summit Hill Fire Chief Shawn Hoben spoke to residents in attendance and highlighted the lost fire company members.Miller, a member of the Summit Hill Historical Society and former Summit Hill councilman was also a Carbon County Sports Hall of Fame inductee."Quinny was with the company for 54 years. He covered a great amount of time under many chiefs. He could have been a chief himself," Hoben said.Stoudt passed away in 2004 while responding to a call."We all call each other brothers, but he was known as Brother. He served for 49 years, joining the company when he was 16," said Hoben.Stoudt had served as a member of the Summit Hill Volunteer Fireman's Relief Association.Sokol served as a member of the Diligence Fire Company's fire police when she passed away while on duty responding to a car crash in 2013. Before her passing, Sokol worked as a member of the Lutheran Food Pantry in Lansford."She was instrumental in the organization," the chief said. "She was always giving of herself and helping people.""These people are were not just involved in the fire company but in the community as well," Hoben said.Borough Mayor Paul McArdle shared similar sentiments about the honorees."Growing up here you can't think of the fire department without thinking of them," he said."It's a great thing. It's nice to see them honor people in town who dedicated their life to the fire company and community," said Miller's son Audrin.A butterfly magnolia tree was added to the park in honor of avid hunter, trapper gardener and fisherman Francis "Fog" O'Gorman."He loved the outdoors," Vermillion said.According to the chairman, one of O'Gorman's fondest memories was traveling with his son and grandson on a long hunting trip where he captured a large elk."He would be happy," his wife, Julianne, said.The Department of Community and Natural Resources' representative Steve Ziegler presented the commission with a recognition award in Outstanding Tree Care for the 11th consecutive year. The commission was recognized for raising public attention, creating and maintaining a town budget and ordinance for the maintenance of the plants, the creation of the commission and for the annual Arbor Day observance."Trees are important because of oxygen, obviously, but they also help prevent runoff from storms and they are something we all have in common," Ziegler said."Trees have special meanings for us, whether memorial trees or a large tree we grew up with. There is such a tree behind my parents' house that I always look at," he said."The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago," McArdle said. "The second best time is now."The borough has over 95 different tree species within the town's limits and isseeking a grant for the beautification of another local park.Originally part of the Summit Hill Historical Society, the Shady Tree Commission was formed by a five-member committee that maintains the trees through pruning and mulching as well as removing hazardous or blighted trees. The Historical Society has sponsored over 50 memorial trees and continues to purchase the plants for the borough's benefit."We welcome your input, manpower on planting days and care and watering of the trees," Vermillion said. "We want you to take ownership of these trees. They are your trees," he told the residents.