Tree program points out importance of Digger's Hotline

Karlie Gerlach, a fifth grader at Maywood, Nebraska, Elementary School, places a "treasure chest" time capsule beside the new brandywine maple tree planted Friday, Arbor Day, on the lawn at the school. Karlie won the tree and a commemorative park bench from Diggers Hotline of Nebraska, which brought representatives of TallGrass Energy and Source Gas to the school for the ceremony wearing T-shirts that promote underground and digging safety. Karlie is the daughter of Lisa and Russ Gerlach of Wellfleet and the student of Jamie Silas. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

MAYWOOD, Nebraska -- Karlie Gerlach thought of her grandparents' farmstead and the pipelines and wires running under it when she designed a poster that won one of 10 awards this spring from Diggers Hotline of Nebraska.

Karlie's poster promotes underground and digging safety -- and yes, she and her fellow students and school officials called "811" before they planted the new brandywine maple tree awarded to Karlie and Maywood Public Schools on Friday, Arbor Day.

Val Snyder of TallGrass Energy Partners, Kearney, asked Karlie and her fellow fifth graders the importance of calling "811" before digging in a yard or field. Karlie answered, "So when you're digging, you don't hit a pipeline." Lanna Machmuller of Source Gas, Kearney, told Maywood elementary students, "Call 811 to keep yourself safe ... to protect property and life."

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette

Helping Snyder and Machmuller present the tree and a commemorative park bench to Karlie and the school were Chuck Snare of Curtis, TallGrass Energy; and Susan Lynch and Jill Geyer of Diggers Hotline, Omaha.

Karlie's, and nine other winning posters, will hang in the Capitol Building in Lincoln and will be displayed through October on digital billboards across the state.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman declared April "Safe Digging Month."

(Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Snyder told students to be looking for next year's poster contest. "By educating you kids, you take the message home, and share the message of 'Call before you dig'," he said.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette