Update: Troy Interfaith Group Plants Tree on City Hall Grounds

June 16, 2005

Source: The Detroit News

[detnews.com/2005/oakland/0506/16/B04-217224.htm]

On June 16, 2005 The Detroit News reported, "Bruce Dickmeyer, a member of the Troy Interfaith Group, wanted to do something out of the ordinary Sunday to celebrate Troy's 50th birthday. So Dickmeyer, administrator of the Bharatiya Temple in Troy, a Hindu house of worship, decided to plant a tree. The tree, representing the family tree of man, would be adorned with ribbons containing statements of the Golden Rule -- 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' -- from various religious denominations. At 11 a.m. Friday, a white pine donated by Tom's Landscaping and Nursery in Troy will be transported to the Peace Garden on City Hall grounds, where children from the community will participate in a dedication ceremony... The Troy Interfaith Group, originally created as the result of non-Christians being excluded from addressing a gathering on the National Day of Prayer in Troy last year, wants to spread its message of inclusiveness in the community beyond just one day."