By Mikayla Van Loon
Montrose Primary School’s graduating class of 2023 was presented with a special gift by Treasuring Our Trees founder David Ferrier on Thursday 14 December.
The parting gift for the Grade 6 students was a handcrafted pen from recycled timber donated and collected after the storms in June 2021.
“Our program, we wanted to donate some beautiful blackwood graduation pens that we had made for you. Each pen has its own individual serial number, so you can take those pens onto the next chapter of your life,” Mr Ferrier said.
Although a token of congratulations, Mr Ferrier said the pens came with a message “about how we care for each other and how we can care for the environment and the land”.
Also congratulating students were Yarra Ranges councillor Johanna Skelton and Casey Federal MP Aaron Violi.
Cr Skelton said it was a privilege to see Treasuring Our Trees go to great lengths to ensure felled trees were not wasted.
“Lots of people who live here and maybe your parents or maybe yourself said at that time they felt really sad about all of the trees that had come down and they wanted to do something important with them,” she said.
“They wanted to have a way to remember that time and places to reflect on what happened.”
Also using the pen as a metaphor for resilience and humility, Cr Skelton said she hoped it was a symbol of these characteristics and something the students would take with them into their next chapter.
“I hope whatever you do with them in the future, you remember your time here and hopefully what you’ve gone through with the storms has made you a stronger and more kind and considerate person,” Cr Skelton said.
With Treasuring Our Trees also supporting Montrose Primary School in building a yarning circle from fallen trees, a project starting next year, Mr Violi said it was a pleasure to see yet another school benefit from a traumatic time.
“I feel very fortunate to have been able to see the journey from an idea and from trauma as your community group has grown and developed,” he said.
“We’ll be out at Wandin North Primary School tomorrow (15 December) and I’ve seen that turn from a patch of dirt into an amazing project.
“I’m so excited for the Montrose community to see what will be next year. Unfortunately, you won’t get to experience that as Grade 6s but you will have that pen as a reminder of your time here at Montrose Primary School.”
Mr Ferrier said the trees used in the yarning circle were specially collected from one of the students’ properties and will be given a second life at the school as part of a larger garden redevelopment project.
