Larry Hobart

A Life of Poetic Thoughts and Good Deeds

Foundation member Larry Hobart is a gentle man, a philosopher, and a poet. He also has a passion for life and making a difference in the world.

I try to write a poem every day, and the subject is what I see happening around me, he told us. A passage from his poem, A Day at Lied Lodge, captures one of his visits to Arbor Day Farm: Walk the trails before you / Take part in all to do / When your adventure is over / You will be amazed at what it has done for you. And here is one from O₂ Source that speaks to his appreciation of planting trees: Know the joy of helping / The world to be a better place / Put a shovel in the ground / Leave a tree your family can trace.

I like the fact that trees help everybody ... the fortunate and the less fortunate. That's why I make gifts and have a charitable annuity with the Arbor Day Foundation, says Larry. I read stories in the papers and magazines that the one thing that's doing the most good is trees, and we're losing a lot (of them) around the world. It's clear to me that folks at Arbor Day are making an impact. They're careful with their money and they're planting lots and lots of trees.

When I stop and think about it, I've been very lucky in life and I'm glad I'm able to do good deeds like helping to plant trees. It's important to me to have made a difference and leave a legacy, says Larry. These feelings are conveyed in these lines from his poem, Come Join Me: All of man's other special interests / Really help only a few / When you plant or save a tree / The benefits come immediately back to you.