For those of you who joined the BDS community this year you may wonder about the story of the fir tree that stands beside the Bungalow between the Archery and Far Fields that will soon be bedecked with lights and ornaments. Others of you may marvel at the growth of the tree that has flourished on our campus for ten years to honor the memory of a beloved member of our community. The story of the tree is captured beautifully in this article, written by Jill Becker P ’14. Enjoy, and have a great weekend.
A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP: THE L & L TREE
by Jill Becker P ’14, reprinted annually since the February 16, 2008 Friday Notice
I first noticed the sweet, colorfully decorated Christmas tree near the Belmont Day School garage last winter. I asked some of the other moms in the pick-up line if they knew anything about it. None of them knew for sure, but one offered, “I think it has something to do with (former maintenance director) Lenny Corso.” And then, after the holiday break, the decorations were gone.
This year, again, the decorations returned! Still, I had no explanationand I wondered. One day last week, I was in the pick-up line earlier than usual. Mr. Medeiros came over to my car, and we started chatting. I asked him if he knew about that tree and he told me the story:
It had been Lino Medeiros who had discovered the little tree, somewhere amongst the trails behind Belmont Day School. Later, he told Lenny Corso about the “beautiful little tree” that he had found, and he asked Lenny to help him move it. Lenny agreed.
Lino described the location of the tree to Lenny. He then rode one of the pieces of the school’s heavy machinery out to the location of the tree, where he waited for his colleague and friend. He heard Lenny, on the Gator, driving around in the woodsclose to, but not at, the location of the little tree. Lino waited as Lenny made his way through the woods and, eventually, to him. The two men dug up the tree together. They brought it to a place near the spot where it now grows. Lino told Lenny, “This will be the L & L tree, for Lino and Lenny.” He then asked Lenny where they should plant the tree. Lenny said, “You’re the boss now. You decide.” This was to be Lenny’s last day at Belmont Day. Mr. Corso passed away in May 2006 after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma.
Every year now Lino and other faculty and staff decorate the tree in Lenny’s honor. I thought each of you would like to know this beautiful story. Thank you, Lino, for sharing it with us. Middle school students planted another tree in Mr. Corso’s honor that flourishes in the front circle to this day.
