Great Bend’s Tree Board is branching out in October by offering a Trick or Tree contest, spokesman Toni Rice said.
Anyone is welcome to submit a photograph of a tree located in Barton County. Five $50 gift certificates, each with a bag of Halloween candy, will be awarded – one for each of the five contest categories:
• Best decorated for Halloween
• Biggest (tree trunk diameter)
• Most unusual species
• Most beautiful fall colors
• Tree with the most interesting story or historical significance
Those wishing to enter may email the photo, along with their name, contact information and location of the tree, to trickortree@yahoo.com, or drop off the photo and information at the Great Bend City Building, Oct. 1-31.
Rice said the Trick or Tree contest was one idea that developed at the Tree Board’s September meeting.
“Charles Waknitz, president, wanted to have a fall tree planting kickoff,” she explained. “We wanted to create some interest with the public and draw their attention to trees, so one of the activities we came up with was this contest.
“Trees are sometimes taken for granted because they are just there and have been for a long time,” Rice continued. “We want people to know what a treasure in trees we have, considering the fact that we live on the prairie, where the buffalo roam, but trees are scarce.”
Board members are hoping they’ll see a lot of entries.
“We’d love for the public to participate in our contest,” Rice said. “We know there are many creative people here, and this could be their time to shine, whether it is in text, photography, design or gardening. We would love to get some personal stories, especially about the older trees – how the planting came about, the who and why of planting, etc. – the sky’s the limit. We just want to instill and nurture the love of trees.”

Fall planting
Members of the Tree Board also want people in the community to share in the pride of Great Bend being an official Tree City, and to consider planting or donating a tree.
“Autumn is a really great time to plant,” Rice said.
The city offers a tree rebate program through the Tree Board, reimbursing half the cost of planting one or two trees, up to $75 per tree, if certain conditions are met. Forms are available at the Great Bend City Office and include a list of acceptable and preferred trees for Barton County.