Creating MAGIC Trees Proposal

Wrap the trees Proposal for funding/community support

Combating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Overview

Wrap the trees is pleased to submit this proposal for services to support and fund providing a better quality of life in Berkshire County during the dark winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is defined as “a type of depression that occurs during the same season each year.” It is said that “you may have SAD if you felt depressed during the last two winters but felt much better in spring and summer. Some people may have SAD during the summer months.” (1.)

SAD is sometimes called winter depression or seasonal depression.

What causes SAD?

Experts aren't sure what causes SAD. But they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may:

• Upset your "biological clock," which controls your sleep-wake pattern and other circadian rhythms.

• Cause problems with serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood.

1. Source: “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Topic Overview.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-topic-overview#1

The Objective

• Wrapping the trees with tree wrap is a safe way to decorate the trees and provide more color during the grey winter months.

• Many people decorate early for the Holiday’s in New England to help improve mood by using lights and colorful decorations.

• This project could increase community involvement which tends to drop during the winter months due to cold and less hours of sunlight. This project could reach the elderly, school system and community members.

• Residents could “sponsor” a tree for anywhere from $20.

• Schools could “sponsor” a tree for art classes and students to paint the wrap to their liking.

• Cities and towns within Berkshire County could fund/sponsor the wrapping of trees on city/town property such as a Main St.

According to Weatherspark.com, these are the following statistics for average sunlight/cloudy day per year:

“The month of June in North Adams experiences decreasing cloud cover, with the percentage of time that the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy decreasing from 55% to 44%.

The clearest day of the month is June 30, with clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy conditions 56% of the time.

For reference, on January 4, the cloudiest day of the year, the chance of overcast or mostly cloudy conditions is 62%, while on September 2, the clearest day of the year, the chance of clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy skies is 64%.”

Thank you for your consideration!

Please consider helping in the beautification of the grey-scale landscape the Berkshires face in the Winter Months. We go from lush greens during the summer to brilliant reds, orange and yellows during the Fall to a sudden time change in which it is dark by 4:30PM. With this sudden change comes weather that creates steady cloudiness, grey, bare mountains and the beautiful, white snow even becomes grey eventually as the Winter progresses.

Together we can better the quality of life of each community member in Berkshire County. Together, we can combat one of the many mental health issues Berkshire Co. residents face.

Sincerely,

AnnaMaria Sebastino

520-332-4935