Indiana's Third District
Johnny Appleseed Award
Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman has inspired folklore and festivals. Over the years, as his story has passed through the generations, his remembrance has on occasion been embellished. But one thing is certain. Johnny planted both apple seeds and seeds of goodwill wherever he went. Over 150 years later, we still savor apples produced from cuttings of the seedlings that he planted. And today, the stories that we share about his life are entwined with revelations of his kindness and generosity to others.
He was a shrewd businessman who planted trees in the path that westbound settlers would be traveling. He charged 7 cents a sapling for those who could afford it. For those who could not, he freely gave out apples and apple tree saplings. He would share stories with the new settlers from his well-worn Bible. His principal aim was, as he once put it, “to bring some fresh word from Heaven.”
In 1845, he died and is buried at Johnny Appleseed Park in Fort Wayne. His epitaph reads simply, “He lived for others.”
The “Congressional Johnny Appleseed” Award was inspired and then established in 1998. It is my hope that this award will recognize individuals who have planted seeds of goodwill that will be realized for generations to come. But, more importantly, (and I know all of the recipients will agree), it is my hope that each of us will take ownership of the needs around us and be part of creative solutions. The federal government can provide funding. But the federal government is no substitute for the creative wealth of knowledge and ability that is so evident in Indiana’s Third Congressional District.
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