A community beautification project continues to take root in Fort Dodge, Iowa. What started out as Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services planting 50 trees in celebration of their 50th Anniversary has now grown with other businesses joining in.

Fort Dodge Ford/Toyota celebrated their 20th Anniversary a few weeks later and they too decided to plant an additional 20 trees to show their appreciation to the community.

All that was needed to finish the landscape of Dodger Drive were 16 more trees. That is when Dr. John Clay with Clay & Associates DDS, PLC stepped forward.

"The community has been so supportive of my growing practice and my family that I really wanted to be able to do a project that not only looks great but also will be there for years to come," states Dr. John Clay with Clay and Associates DDS, PLC. "Planting the trees on Dodger Drive in front of the Fort Dodge Middle School where I also have children attending is even more special."

Today there are a total of 84 trees provided by Smitty's Lawn and Landscape lining the Dodger Drive street. Each one planted by volunteers from PICA, Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, UnityPoint Health - Trinity Regional Medical Center, Fort Dodge Ford/Toyota and Clay and Associates DDS, PLC.

With the success of this project, there is now discussion of expanding the beautification to include an area that will be completed shortly called Decker Drive. Other area businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider participating in 2017 with donating and volunteering to make this possible.