Staff report
The West Side neighborhood coalition held a fundraiser over the weekend to pay for trees to replace those vandalized last week.
The trees were planted along Holman Street as part of the Reforest Westside tree-planting project, an extension of the Covington Urban Forestry Division.
A cookout at Orchard Park and an online funding opportunity netted over $2000, and efforts will continue.
Last year, the coalition got a $2000 grant to plant 40 trees and was able to leverage that to get double the number of trees from the supplier.
Duke Energy has offered a $2000 grant to help replace the trees.
Their goal, said a spokesperson for the group, is not only to replant the vandalized trees but to plant even more trees — a collective “in your face” challenge to the vandal or vandals responsible for the damage.
The city has removed the damaged trees, making way for the new plantings.
Donations can be made through the Center for Great Neighborhoods Paypal site, dedicated to the “Reforest Covington Westside.”