Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: ARTS & LIFE

Media Credit: Richelle Antipolo Chris Oller is the regional leader of Denton and Dallas area for What's Your Tree organization that focuses on spiritual fulfillment; the tree represents one's purpose in life.

Media Credit: Richelle Antipolo Chris Oller is the regional leader of Denton and Dallas area for What's Your Tree organization that focuses on spiritual fulfillment; the tree represents one's purpose in life.

Media Credit: Richelle Antipolo Chris Oller is the regional leader of Denton and Dallas area for What's Your Tree organization that focuses on spiritual fulfillment; the tree represents one's purpose in life.

The aftermath of activist Julia Butterfly Hill's protest of deforestation through living in a redwood tree for 738 days trickled down to the Denton community two years ago.

As a part of an Earth Day celebration in April 2007, Hill began the What's Your Tree organization, a nonprofit group that is "about exploring one's deep inner sense of purpose," regional leader Chris Oller said.

"The name is a metaphor for what it is you are supposed to do in this world," Oller said. "It is meant to show people what their essence really is and how to use that to build a community."

Members go through a series of three curriculum phases to ultimately complete a group community initiative. Other active regions include the Bay Area in California and Boulder and Denver, Colo.

What's Your Tree members have been doing various projects in the area, including adopting Fry Street for trash cleanups, free yoga events and developing community gardens.

The organization is also preparing to open a community market.

Group leader and community organizer Kati Trice said she believes the market is one of her "trees," or main passions.

"The Denton community market will be an opportunity for lots of kinds of people to come together in the city," Trice said. "It will be farmers and growers, but it will also bring in the artistic community, which is also thriving in Denton."

The opening of the market is set for April 2010, she said.

Another project on the group's agenda is establishing a What's Your Tree house so other grassroots organizations can have a gathering place for meetings.

Oller's personal "tree" project is the Peace Kitchen on Cardo's Farm in Ponder, about 14 miles from Denton.

This mobile kitchen is where Oller uses the locally grown greens, sprouts, garlic and other seasonal vegetables to cook vegan and vegetarian dishes for customers.

"What really makes me happy is cooking for people," he said. "It's how I express my love to the world. It is just a way of bringing people together in a joyful and loving way."

Trice has helped Oller at the Peace Kitchen before and said she sees it as one of the most successful "tree" projects.

"It is definitely the most vibrant and most active initiative that has come out of What's Your Tree," Trice said.

In addition to the community projects, Oller said he believes the benefits of the organization can be seen within its members and their new outlooks on life.

The What's Your Tree program gives a sense of empowerment to those looking to connect to their communities, he said.

"I think a lot of people, especially in this time we're living in, are wanting to make a change in the world, and they want to take things into their own hands," Oller said. "But in order to change the world, we need to change our own community first."

For more information, visit whatsyourtree.org.

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