One day in the future, visitors to Keizer Rapids Park will see a stand of trees in the southwest part of the park.
The visitors won’t have to wonder why they are there; there is a sign to mark the Keizer Rotary Arboretum in honor of Wilbur Bluhm.
A long-time Rotarian, Bluhm is the city’s unofficial tree expert and historian. Several years ago he personally trod the streets of Keizer doing an inventory of all the city’s trees—all 241 species. Bluhm knows his stuff as he is a retired horticulturist.
The arboretum was borne out of a suggestion from the president of Rotary International in 2018 for each of the world’s more than 33,000 clubs to plant a tree for each club member.
The Rotary Club of Keizer never sits still and went right to work, planting an initial 36 trees in 2018. There have been subsequent tree additions since then.
Bluhm was key in the decisions of what trees to plant. There was no second thought for the Rotary Club to honor him on the sign marking the grove.
The Rotary Club of Keizer doesn’t sit still and that is certainly true of Wilbur Bluhm.