COVINGTON, Ky. – Volunteers will converge on at least 10 locations in Covington on Saturday to plant trees and flowers, pull weeds, rake debris, spread mulch, pick up litter, and tackle other tasks aimed at beautifying The Cov and its neighborhoods.

 

If you want to join in the fun, sign up HERE (preferred) or just show up.

 

The event is Part 1 of 4 in the 2121 version of the nationwide Great American Cleanup.

 

Typically, what’s billed as the largest annual volunteer event in the City attracts 700-800 people to corner parks, wooded areas, medians, alleys, and “problem spots” in Covington on a single weekend in April.

 

But this year, as a way to create social distance amid the pandemic, organizers have set aside four dates for neighborhoods to register cleanup events. The others are May 29, Sept. 18, and Oct. 23.

 

Organizers were both surprised and pleased by the high interest, said Shannon Ratterman, executive director of Keep Covington Beautiful (KCB).

 

“We were caught a little off guard by the number of registered sites and the number of people who have signed up,” Ratterman said. “People are very excited to get out of doors and re-engage in their neighborhoods.”

 

KCB will provide hand sanitizer and masks for volunteers to use where appropriate, and volunteers will be encouraged to work a safe distance from each other, she said.

 

The organization will also provide snacks, gloves, and tools. Each volunteer will receive a $5 gift certificate to a local business.

 

Registered sites

​Except where noted, all events happen from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will meet up at the location in parenthesis:

 

Several of the events, including the tree planting and flower plantings, are funded by the City’s Neighborhood Grant Program, as seen in a previous release HERE.

 

***

 

If you want to organize a cleanup event on one of the later three dates, you can do so HERE. After registering your event, you can apply for a $250 grant HERE.

 # # #