Tree planting session

Sandakan: Members of Sandakan District Tennis Association (SDTA) and Lions Club of Sandakan Selingan took part in a tree-planting session at the SDTA clubhouse compound.

Sandakan District Tennis Association Hon. Secretary Benno Ong said the Lions were led by their President Cyrina Au while SDTA President Taren Sunil Manoharan was present with his committee and fellow tennis players.

Also present were visiting Lions dignitaries including their District Governor Kung Kuok Yiew, his predecessor James Teo, Cabinet Secretary Lawrence Ting and Zone 16 Chairman Raymond Saw.

Cyrina said that when Lions Club of Sandakan Selingan initiated the project they decided to invite SDTA to join them because members of both organisations shared a similar desire to help protect and keep the environment green.

Meanwhile, SDTA President Taren Sunil pointed out that this is the second time that they are jointly planting trees to support the environment.

“With the unrelenting pace of urban development we are witnessing very fast growth of a ‘concrete jungle’ and we sorely need ‘green lungs’ amidst all the concrete, steel and glass buildings.”

He said with the SDTA tennis complex located within Sandakan district, both Lions and SDTA felt that the place is ideal to serve as a little green lung for the town folk.

“We do have a large compound already planted with different species of trees and plants. With this planting campaign we have added another 46 new saplings to further ‘green up’ our place. We hope to make our SDTA tennis complex one of the green lungs for our town.”

“This tree planting effort is in fact part of a worldwide project by the numerous international Lions Clubs to get 20 million trees planted around the globe this year and both Lions Club Sandakan Selingan and SDTA are proud to have played a small role towards achieving that goal,” he elaborated, thanking Lions Club of Sandakan Selingan for choosing the SDTA premises as the venue for the project.

“We also wish to record our thanks to the Sabah Forestry Department for having donated trees and given advice on suitable species to plant in our compound,” said Taren.

Source: Daily Express