| Press Releases | Search DNR | DNR Home |
Presidential Cat to Be Honored with Memorial Tree Planting in St. Mary’s County
Annapolis, MD (February 24, 2009) — At the request of a local business owner, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will plant a tree in honor of the former cat of the 42nd Presidential family, Socks, as part of the Tree-Mendous Maryland Program’s Gift of Trees.
"This service provided by the Department of Natural Resources is a great way to honor the memories of loved ones that are no longer with us, while also doing something nice for the environment,” said Susan Pearce-Ditch, owner of the Chesapeake Pet Resort, who ordered the gift. “It was always a pleasure to see Mrs. Currie’s warm and loving care for Socks when they would visit, and we will miss Socks very much.”
Following his departure from the White House, Socks made a new life for himself at the home the Clintons’ former personal secretary, Mrs. Betty Currie. When unable to travel with Mrs. Currie, Socks would sometimes stay at the Hollywood pet resort, which has sponsored multiple Gift of Tree plantings for special pets and friends. Socks passed away on Friday, February 20, 2009 at the age of 19. The tree will be planted at a location to be determined in St. Mary’s County this fall.
Anyone can give the Gift of Trees through Tree-Mendous Maryland to honor family and friends, preserve memories, or to celebrate special occasions. For $40, a native tree will be planted on public lands in a Maryland county of your choice. A certificate will also be issued to commemorate the gift. For more information, contact Terry Galloway at tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8510 or visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/treemendous. DNR’s Tree-Mendous Maryland Program helps Marylanders plant, care for and maintain trees in order to help restore and protect the natural environment, in particular, our greatest natural resource, the Chesapeake Bay.
February 24, 2009 Contact: Kara Turner
410-260-8018
katurner@dnr.state.md.usMaryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov.