As part of the Adopt-A-Spot program, the Ride the Cov organization patrols the Riverfront Commons Trail atop the Ohio River floodwall on a weekly basis, keeping it free of litter. (Photo used courtesy of Ride the Cov)
Volunteer program beautifies Covington, one location at a time
COVINGTON, Ky. - The street gutters long East 13th and Wheeler streets routinely have less trash than they used to. The dirt hole in front of Braxton Brewing Co. is now a flower planter. And every spring, the triangular median/pocket garden at Lewis and Montague bursts with color from cannas, irises, zinnias, and sunflowers.
What these locations display is the work of many hundreds of volunteers who - through the Adopt-A-Spot program - have made it their personal mission to make a little area of Covington cleaner and more beautiful.
To recognize these volunteers and help recruit more partners, an Adopt-A-Spot Appreciation Party will be held Wednesday at Braxton Brewing Co. in downtown Covington.
The kid-friendly party will include appetizers, giveaways, a raffle, and helpful tips for volunteers, as well as activities for young children. It will also serve as a fund-raiser: For every pint sold of Braxton's Storm Golden Crème Ale, the brewery will donate $1 to Keep Covington Beautiful, the non-profit that partners with the City and the Center for Great Neighborhoods on the program.
"Adopt-A-Spot volunteers are amazing - they put countless hours into their spots, doing things like picking up litter, pulling weeds, cleaning sewer drains, pruning trees, maintaining gardens, and planting flowers," said Amy Lyons, a board member from Keep Covington Beautiful.
Sheila Fields, Covington's Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator, agreed.
"Covington benefits tremendously from their commitment because they help us maintain beautiful spaces and assist with litter control," Fields said. "The program is a huge asset."
The party is open not only to Adopt-A-Spot partners but also their guests. Register
HERE. (Registration is not mandatory but will greatly help with food planning.)
If you can't attend but want to participate, you can give a donation or sign up to be an Adopt-A-Spot partner on the Keep Covington Beautiful website,
HERE.
A map of "adopted" spots, shown
HERE, also shows areas of the City still to be "adopted."
About Adopt-A-Spot
The program is flexible:
- "Spots" can be adopted, for example, by an organization, a neighborhood, a business, a group of students or a family.
- The spots themselves can be a street, parking lot, park, trail, community gateway, storm drain, a block, or even a planter or two.
- Work can include a range of activities related to cleanup, landscaping and planting.
The frequency of activity varies by spot and sponsor, but organizers suggest the spots be visited and litter removed about once a week.
The party:
- 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Feb. 27.
- Braxton Brewing Co., 27 W. Seventh St.
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