Western Illinois University will host the annual Employee Memorial Tree Planting Ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at Memorial Tree Grove on the Macomb campus.

Each year WIU honors employees who passed away the year prior in a memorial planting ceremony. This year, the ceremony will honor Yvonne Zaborac, who passed away in 2022.

The Memorial Tree Grove, located on the southeast section of campus by University Village, near the West Pierce Street entrance, was established in Fall 2003, following a recommendation by members of Western's American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 417, with support from the Civil Service Employees Council, the Council of Administrative Personnel, Faculty Senate and University administration.

The annual ceremony includes one tree planted in memory of all employees who passed away during the preceding year. Honorees are employees who die while either actively working, on disability, on workers compensation or on an approved leave from the University. To date, Western has honored 61 individuals.