What is the Watty Tree?

 I’ve had quite a few questions about the tree and it’s history. As best as I could identify from bark, leaves and wood grain I am fairly certain it is a sawtooth oak- but that’s just the beginning. In the fall of 2018, our church, Watkinsville First Baptist, started a construction project which required the removal of this large tree in front of the children’s building.

Our children, along with many others, called it the climbing tree. It was not unusual to find the tree full of kids on any given Sunday morning. We were truly sad to see it go. Working with our pastor and the developer I was able to have the trunk set aside and saved from the wood chipper.

I’ve made several bowls and other items over the past year, trying to preserve the tree so church members could hold onto some of the history at the property.

I also wanted the sale of these items to have a meaningful impact as well. I didn’t know what that would be until I went on a mission trip with our youth, including two of my sons, down to Immokalee, FL and served with the incredible leadership at Fellowship Church. As I prayed about the best use for this tree I felt led to pay it forward.

We decided this past summer that all Watty Tree sales will be donated to Fellowship Church in Immokalee, FL to further their Kingdom work, honoring the relationship between our two churches, and my personal way of saying thank you for pouring into our youth.