Steve Massey of Streator, who had the inspiration to create the Illinois Fallen Soldiers Tree Memorial at Illini Park, was not feeling too inspired Saturday morning.

In fact, he was feeling just as gloomy as the weather.

Massey had put out a call for 100 volunteers to help plant the memorial"s 200 oak trees – one for each Illinois soldier who died in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"I"m driving there and I"m thinking it"s drizzling, it"s cold, it"s dingy – how many people are going to show?"

But show they did, about 60, it turned out.

There were veterans, tradesmen, school kids and other Americans wanting to show their regard for those who gave their lives for their country.

Included among them were the parents of three soldiers who had been killed in the Middle East: Staff Sgt. Lincoln Hollinsaid of Malden, Sgt. Joshua Terando of Morris and Spec. Jacob Lowell of New Lenox.

The volunteers came with gloves, shovels and a can-do spirit that got the job done, said Massey.

They were ferried on trailers from parking lots to the meadow about to be turned into a grove. There they got a quick lesson on tree planting from Randy Timmons of the Department of Natural Resources, then broke into groups and began work.

"Everyone just seemed to know what to do," said Massey. "It was amazing."

The tree holes had been pre-dug by the Illinois National Guard, but Saturday morning they were filled with rainwater, and the clay from the ground was wet and sloppy.

Even so, each tree was carefully planted and caged with wire to prevent damage from animals.

In three hours the planting was done, and the group broke for lunch. Some stayed on for another couple hours to spread mulch around the trees.

Hollinsaid's mother fretted about the volunteers working in the rain.

"I hope they don"t all catch colds," she said as she watched.

It wasn"t a concern for Massey, he said Sunday.

"I"ll tell you what, I woke up this morning feeling great."

The exact date for the unveiling has yet to be set, but it will be during the week Veterans Day falls on Nov. 11.