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Spring is finally in the air! That was not the case on Saturday, March 18 when dozens of volunteers showed up to help Louisville Grows expand the city’s tree canopy in the South End.
It was bitterly cold and windy on top of the 20 and 30-degree temperatures!
Community Engagement Coordinator, Ellie Davenport, was pleasantly surprised with the response.
“When I saw the chilly forecast, I was unsure of what to expect for our numbers, but I was wrong to doubt the determination of this group! This was an incredibly successful turnout, where around 85 volunteers planted a total of 98 trees for both Friday and Saturday’s events,” Davenport said.
Louisville Water Service Board member, Amanda Cannon, saw the chance for a great teambuilding activity.
“I thought this would not only be a great way to do something that would benefit the future of our city, but also create memories and have fun. I underestimated the work (sorry team) and the weather.” Cannon said. She added “the experience was awesome! I thought we did great. We all naturally found what we did well and executed the job. It speaks volumes to how our group works. We always find where we fit in to get the work done. I love that about us!”
Louisville Water was a program sponsor, so it was a perfect fit for the Service Board. The board was created in 2022 to make a positive impact in the company and community through philanthropic leadership.
“As a volunteer-based organization with a very small staff, we are lucky to have passionate volunteers and partners commit to serve with us. They put a great deal of work into supporting our tree-planting efforts. Louisville Grows appreciates each and every one of them,” said Executive Director Lisa Dettlinger.
That grateful spirit shined as Dettlinger delivered reusable Louisville Pure Tap® bottles of water and snacks to volunteers spread out across the city.
You may have heard Louisville referred to as an urban heat island. That means the city tends to be a lot warmer than the rural areas surrounding us. Planting trees not only spruces up Louisville’s landscape, it helps reduce the effects of being an urban heat island.
“Louisville Grows remains dedicated to bettering the health of our residents and the environment by planting trees where they are most needed,” Dettlinger said.
The organization aims to plant a thousand trees this year, but they can’t do it without the community’s help. April is a perfect time to learn about getting involved because it’s Earth Month. Check out several opportunities to volunteer!
