Trees are even more valued in Newborn these days after more than 100 mature trees were destroyed or uprooted in a category F1 tornado last April.

The town's volunteer tree board is hoping for a fresh start for the town and is giving away 250 seedlings at an Arbor Day celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Newborn Town Hall on Ga. Highway 142.

Everything at the celebration will be free, including a lunch of hot dogs, fixings and drinks courtesy of Mansfield-based Blackwell Grocery and a tree climbing station sponsored by Arbor Equity of Covington. The company will attach a harness system to the Water Oak tree adjacent to town hall and can safely assist children of all ages high up into the tree.

"If everyone plants a tree or two, in addition to the many trees already planted by the town, we'll restore our former lush shade before long," said Newborn resident Linda Williams Woodworth.

Smokey the Bear will also be in Newborn and people are welcome to take pictures with him.

Arbor Day has been celebrated nationally since 1872, often towards the end of April, but the date is selected locally based on the best dates for planting trees. In Georgia, tree planting is best done in the winter, not the spring, so Georgia celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday in February, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.

Newborn has been designated a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the past 10 years, an honor recognizing civic commitment to planting and nurturing. Since last spring's storm, more than 50 trees have already been planted with the town limits.