WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- When you head to the ballpark for a game, you expect to hear the crack of the bat and smell your favorite stadium food. You don't expect to be given a tree, but that's exactly what's happening at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport.
"PPL cares a lot about the community and it's our way of doing our part for the community, building roots in the community literally through trees."
That's how Tracie Witter, a regional affairs director with PPL Electric Utilities, describes their Community Roots program. It started in 2017 and has been very successful.
"We've given 70,000 trees to date since we began the program in 2017," Witter said.
Community Roots is a free tree program designed for municipalities, elementary schools, and conservation groups.
"A lot of conservation groups, they're using the trees along stream banks for stream restoration projects."
PPL is taking Community Roots from large groups to individuals. The first 500 people through the gates of BB&T Ballpark Thursday night will be given a bag to claim their tree at the end of the game.
"They'll be some instructions in the bag on how to plant them. We just want to remind people to plant them in the right places at the right times," Witter explained.
Planting your tree in the right spot could save you money on your electric bill down the road.
"If you plant the tree at your home, it will provide shade to your home so you may not have to use as much AC or fans."
PPL's Community Roots program is only being taken here on Thursday night, but it's only one of many environmentally friendly programs that they have going on.
"We have a real concern about making sure that our environment in the communities that we all live in, we work in, we play in are healthy sustainable communities."
If your municipality, conservation group, or elementary school is interested in taking part in the Community Roots program, you can get more information here.