News

Giving Back to the Community

Wright Tree Service (WTS) loves supporting activities that benefit employees and add value to the communities where they live and work, which includes volunteering. Safety Project Manager Betsy Long recently represented WTS as a volunteer at the 24th Annual Georgia Trees Unite Us Conference & Climbing Championships.

When Betsy heard about the event and how close the location was to her house, she knew it was a great opportunity to get involved. Betsy has worked in the utility vegetation management (UVM) and arboriculture safety training industry since 2014.

The conference and competition took place during the third week of November in Winterville, Georgia. The extended weekend was full of networking, educational opportunities, climbing competitions and more. “My favorite part was talking and meeting people in the industry,” Betsy added. “Some of these people I’ve known for years but never met in person. I had an absolute blast, met the most amazing people, and made lots of new friends.”

Betsy helped with registration during the event and was able to sit in on various sessions throughout the weekend. “I had the opportunity to join one of the presenters and speak for a few minutes on the topic of leadership and communication,” Betsy said. “I used what I’ve learned from the Safety Education and Training (SET) Team, the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program and True Colors®. One attendee came up to me after and thanked me and said he was going to work on his communication skills, especially at home.”

Betsy plans to volunteer again when she has the chance. “I look forward to future opportunities to volunteer with GAA and ISA and continue to learn more about the industry,” Betsy said. “I am grateful WTS encourages employees like me to volunteer. It’s a great learning experience and furthered my knowledge of the UVM industry.”