Community groups are invited to register for up to 10 free trees through Mitchell’s Shade, a program designed to expand Oklahoma City’s urban canopy and support greener neighborhoods. Selected organizations will be notified in advance and can pick up their trees on the morning of April 11, prior to the Mitchell’s Shade Community Tree Giveaway at Scissortail Park. This opportunity helps groups enhance their environments and contribute to a more sustainable, beautiful city.

The annual Mitchell’s Shade tree giveaway is made possible by the vision and generous support of Melanie and John Burns. The Burns family established Mitchell’s Shade Endowment to fund an annual tree giveaway in honor and memory of their son Mitchell.

Mitchell Burns loved shade trees and parks. As a member of the Youth Leadership Exchange in his junior year of high school, Mitchell worked with local city government officials on the creation of Scissortail Park in downtown OKC. The Burns family, and indeed the world, lost Mitchell’s bright joyful light far too early. His loving family could think of no better way to honor his legacy than to establish Mitchell’s Shade, a community program designed to bring people together to celebrate life, honor a loved one, and put a bit of color, shade and oxygen back into our world through a tree giveaway at Scissortail Park.