Chester honors three residents with tree dedication ceremony

A tree dedication ceremony for three Chester residents who have been involved in civic activities was held at Knapp’s View on Sept. 21. Leslie Smith, EJ Szulwach and Tracy Schuh were the residents honored. For Smith it was a posthumous honor as she passed away shortly after the Chester town board issued the proclamation honoring the three individuals in December 2025.

Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge led the proceedings. He described Schuh, who was unable to attend the event, as an “amazing human being.” She served on the board of two comprehensive plans, was a member of the Chester Conservation Advisory Council [CAC] and the founder of the Preservation Collective. She first met Holdridge when he was running for town council where she took him aside and filled him in on the environmental issues the town was facing.

Leslie Smith was also involved in the comprehensive plan and CAC. She attended all town, planning, zoning and village meetings. Holdridge described her as a “genuinely nice human being.”

EJ Szulwach was on hand at the gathering, which drew about 30 attendees. He was lauded by Holdridge as the sole reason the CAC got started in the first place. Szulwach was persistent about the town doing its part to fight climate change, which led to the climate change advisory council, which eventually became CAC. He also has been active in Kiwanis for many decades. Holdridge said, “EJ is the definition of what it means to be a community member.”

CAC chair Martine DePasquale commended Szulwach. She said, “I have benefitted from the warmth of EJ. I learned from EJ about the farms that have been here. He grew up on an onion farm. As a newcomer to Chester I would like to thank Leslie, Tracy and EJ.”

Two others spoke, praising Szulwach. He said he was “overwhelmed with all the kind words.”

Holdridge noted it was Yom Kippur and it was fitting that these three souls should be honored on this day.

The three trees the plaques for the residents would be laid next to had yet to be decided. It may be three on a hill or could be three by the parking lot where the ceremony was held.