Gambier celebrates community spirit on 43022 Day

Activities, tree planting featured at village's event

Group planting a tree in a park setting.

A group of local youths help Jerry Kelly, a member of the Gambier Shade Tree Commission, plant a tree during 43022 Day in the village.

Fred Main

Fred Main Fred Main Knox Weekly News Editor

Published April 30, 2026 - 9:13 a.m.

The village of Gambier celebrated its uniqueness on April 24.

The village’s 43022 Day was held for the fifth year, celebrating the village, it’s people and all of the great things that happen there.

“I want to thank everyone for coming out,” said Gambier Mayor Leeman Kessler. “43022 was a day born out of an oddity and bit of stir craziness of us all being stuck in our homes during COVID. It’s become this truly phenomenal opportunity to come together to celebrate as a community.”

The event was held at the community park and included a food truck, a plant/seed swap, information from many local organizations, a tree planting and an opportunity for families to have fun on the Storybook Trail and in the dog park. There were crafts and games for the youths, even a bubble blowing machine that entertained them for hours.

Visitors could talk with Knox County Parks District and DKMM staff members, take a Gardens Story book trail tour and even learn gardening tips. The main event was a tree planting ceremony near the soccer field in honor of Arbor Day.

“Arbor Day is really tree day,” Jerry Kelly, a member of the Gambier Shade Tree Commission, told the youths and their families during the ceremony. “We plant trees and we celebrate the trees we have because we have such a beautiful village of really nice trees.”

Several Wiggin Street Elementary students helped Kelly and Christian Gunning, another member of the commission, plant the European Linden trees by the soccer field bleachers. The spire-shaped trees will grow to about 50 foot tall and have a spread of around 30 feet, giving a great amount of shade to fans watching the soccer matches.

“It’s a quality shade tree. It’ll take a couple of years, but it does the job pretty well,” Kelly said.

“I can’t thank enough our shade tree commission,” Kessler said. “They do such a great job maintaining this, not just for Arbor Day, but year-round. So, if you are enjoying the trees and how this place looks, they are the folks to thank.”