CONTRIBUTED/SPARKS FAMILY - Dolores Sparks is honored as part of this year's Arbor Day celebration in Red Bay.
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Red Bay honors Sparks in celebration
RED BAY — Members of the Red Bay community gathered Sunday in city hall to commemorate Arbor Day by honoring the memory of Dolores Sparks.
Those present shared recollections of Sparks, held a reception and helped distribute free trees after the program.
“Each year in Red Bay, a tree is planted to honor the best among us — those who give back to the community by the way he or she lives from day to day,” said Mayor Charlene Fancher. “It is a wonderful way to celebrate this wonderful day that pays honor to and urges protection of one of God’s loveliest and most useful creations — trees.”
Sparks was a longtime teacher in Red Bay.
“I consider it a blessing to have known Dolores Sparks,” said Fancher, who knew her first as a teacher for herself, then for her children and later as a friend.
Fancher said Sparks enjoyed working with the city’s work release inmates to get some help for the Street Department.
“Dolores took that on as a mission within the church,” Fancher said. “I sincerely appreciate the First United Methodist Church providing lunch for our inmate friends on a quarterly basis.”
Fancher said Sparks “embraced and loved the opportunity to witness through love and kindness,” noting she loved to serve the inmates lunch and especially enjoyed shopping for Christmas gifts for them.
“And like all of us here today, the inmates loved and appreciated Dolores’ joyful spirit,” she added. “When I think of Dolores, I think of joy. I think of passion. I think of perseverance. I think of intelligence. I think of love. I’m so thankful for the life of Dolores Sparks and the important role she played in blessing the lives of many people.”
Judy Bullen also shared memories of Sparks.
“I think about Dolores almost every day. I miss her so much. She was a true friend to me and to many, many others. First and foremost, she loved her God, and she loved her family.”
She said Sparks began her teaching career in junior high school, noting she taught many in the audience.
“She taught school many years at Red Bay School and later taught at the college level,” Bullen continued. “Dolores was a numbers person. She loved her church. She served as treasurer and made sure the money was counted correctly. She was a member of the Emmaus community and loved going to Camp Sumatanga on so many spiritual walks.”
Bullen said Sparks worked on “nearly all the special programs at Red Bay First United Methodist Church,” adding she “certainly made a difference in the lives of the inmates that could certainly see the goodness and love that Dolores had shown to them.”
She said Sparks “enjoyed giving and caring,” including helping with the church food bank and food giveaways.
“I asked my 24-year-old grandson how he would describe Dolores, and he thought of the word ‘joy,’” Bullen said. “Then I asked my nine-year-old granddaughter, and she said ‘love.’ Dolores was certainly full of joy and love and smiled and laughed wherever she was.”
Former Red Bay High School Principal Bobby Forsythe talked about his time working with Sparks. He met her when he was hired to be the RBHS principal, adding she had been hired a few years before to teach math.
“Her job was to educate by imparting math knowledge to her students and boy did she do a great job at that for many, many years,” he said.
Forsythe said that if you knew Sparks, you “realized real quick” that math was the most important subject in her life, noting her zeal for it showed every day.
Fancher said a sugar maple tree will be planted in memory of Sparks. She describes it as “one of America’s best-loved trees,” noting it “makes a great addition to any yard or park” and is known for “its amazing fall color” with “leaves [that] turn vibrant shades of yellow, burnt orange and red.”
“She will be remembered each time someone sees the tree and reads the marker,” Forsythe said. “That it is an honor to one of the greatest teachers that Red Bay High School has ever been blessed with.”
APPRECIATING TREES
Fancher said trees add “great beauty” to the landscape, as well as “keep us cooler in summer and warmer in winter as they grow tall and spread their branches.”
Representing the Tree Commission, Scotty Kennedy spoke about the importance of trees to the environment – providing oxygen, shade and beauty.
“Trees add to the beauty of a town and attract more businesses and industry and visitors,” Kennedy said. “People are drawn to an environment that prioritizes trees as a valuable asset to their community.
“Through the years, many deserving people have been honored for their contributions to our community by the planting of a tree – in my opinion, one of the best ways to do so,” he said. “Sparks was strong in her desire to teach young people math and other related subjects.”
Kennedy said Sparks was known for her sense of humor and for her laugh, as well as her great love of math, noting she loved it so much that her first retirement didn’t stick.
TREE ADVICE
He went on to share his advice about trees.
“Mulch, mulch, mulch!” Kennedy advised. “Mulching helps to keep weeds away, helps keep moisture from the roots, especially in the heat. And it provides nutrients to the trees as it breaks down and even protects the roots during severe cold weather as we’ve had for the last couple of years.”
Kennedy also recommended avoiding topping trees as part of trimming them.
“When you cut the top of the tree, it’s called topping,” he explained. “Do not top the trees when trimming them.” He gave reference to crepe myrtles, adding they can be trimmed “without destroying and cutting the tops off them.”
As for Bradford pear trees, his advice is clear – as an invasive species, he recommends getting rid of them, adding “Kill them, cut them, grind the roots.”
Red Bay Garden Club president Tracie Clark called on those assembled to appreciate and promote the value of trees.
“Let us teach our children the value of a single acorn and the promise it holds,” Clark said. “Let us remember that every tree we plant is a legacy, a gift to future generations. May our love for trees continue to grow like branches of an ancient oak reaching for the sky.”
Clark called for the audience to take the time to consider.
“As we reflect on the significance of this occasion, we gather not only to honor and celebrate Mrs. Sparks, but also to recognize the tireless efforts of countless individuals who have nurtured this green legacy.”
