This story is shared with permission courtesy of the Callaway Courier
Twelve of the 17 members of the Callaway High School class of 2019 met for their 5-year class reunion during the Pioneer Picnic weekend. Prior to their potluck supper and walk down memory lane, however, the classmates met in front of their Alma Mater to pay
tribute to a class member who is no longer with them.
A few months ago a few of the classmates came up with an idea for doing something special in memory of Sidney Sallach while together for their reunion. Kalen Dockweiler suggested planting a tree, and everyone loved the idea.
“I’ve always wanted to do something for her, and as a class we have always wanted to figure out some way to keep her with us,” Kalen explained. “We went through a lot of years of school together so we thought it was very fitting to do it at the school.”
Once the class had decided what they wanted to do, Kalen approached Principal Heath Birkel to get his thoughts on planting a tree in front of the high school. Birkel said he was fine with the idea but wanted to run it past new Superintendent JD Furrow first.
“It took a little longer than we expected just because of the transition, but when JD heard about it he was all for it,” Kalen stated. “I came up here a few weeks ago and we walked around the school trying to find a good spot for it and we thought out front
would be a good place for it where everybody could see it.”
Kalen said the class had enough funds in their class account to pay for the purchase of the tree and mulch.
When it came to picking out the tree that duty was picked up by Garret Hrupek. The 2019 CHS grad was recently hired as the new ag instructor and FFA advisor at the school.
“I’m notoriously a gardening nut, so I offered to go pick out a tree. I kind of know what to look for that will survive well in this area,” Garret explained. “I went to the Garden Center in Broken Bow and talked to my friend Ryan about what would survive the
best here. We wanted something unique, that you don’t really normally see around here. This tree is really hardy. It will get about 50 feet tall and 35-40 feet wide.”
The tree he picked is a Ginko, a species Garret believes originated in Asia. He said in the fall the leaves of the Ginko tree will turn a beautiful bright yellow.
“Everyone just thought it was very fitting at our fifth-year reunion to do something for her,” Kalen added. “A tree is living, and we wanted to have something that would live, and blossom, and grow.”
