Tree planted by first grader 27 years ago becomes symbol for Medway

MEDWAY - A little girl planted a seedling 27 years ago. It defied the odds to become a symbol for an entire neighborhood in Medway, Massachusetts.

"Sarah's tree"

Beth McLeod's daughter Sarah brought the tree seedling home from school in a milk carton back in 1997 when she was in first grade.

"Sarah and her Papa came out and planted the tree. We kind of didn't think too much of it. You think it's a tree, it'll get stepped on, a deer will eat it or something," Beth told WBZ-TV.

Instead, it grew. And grew.

"It's kind of become part of everything that we do around here. There's a lot of talk about Sarah's tree," MacLeod said.

How could Sarah's tree not be part of everything, when for a quarter of a century it's been right beside them. A source of shade, the background of family photos, and most of all, a measure of time.

Sarah now lives out of state and Papa has passed away. But what tree stands for, still ties their family all together.

"As parents it's really hard when you're juggling all the stuff you have to do in the raising of the kids. It really makes me think of what I want to do with my grandchildren," MacLeod said.

Friends of Medway Facebook post

Earlier this month, she shared a photo of the tree to her local Facebook group, "Friends of Medway, MA."

Several hundred members liked and loved it. Just as the tree's branches extend for birds and bunnies in MacLeod's yard, the post was an invitation to neighbors, many of whom shared their own favorite Medway memories.

"I think one of the reasons the post was so popular was because it wasn't a post about pizza, plumbers, politics," she said, laughing.

Now, as students get ready to start a new school year, "Sarah's tree" is a reminder of what can grow when it's cared for, be it kindness or interests, confidence, or independence.

"I do think it's those things, those little moments that really stick with us," MacLeod said. "When I look back, those are the pieces. It's these little moments you have reflection on and see they grew, this grew."