MENA, Ark. -
Seven months after a tornado ripped through Mena, the city is getting some of its green back.
Shovels and backhoes have become common sights around town after the massive tornado this past April that damaged or destroyed large portions of the town, as well as parts of Le Flore and Polk counties.
But one familiar sight has sadly been missing; dozens of old hardwood trees that were lost in the storm.
"We hauled over 8,600 large truckloads of debris out of town, and the biggest part of that was trees," said Mayor George McKee on Thursday.
On Thursday, Mayor McKee joined dozens of other people to plant new trees at the city's Janssen Park. 65 trees were destroyed at the park alone during the storm, but thanks to a collaboration between several local businesses they're starting to be replaced.
Seven different organizations or businesses have partnered together to form "Re-Green Mena", and have raised nearly $10,000 dollars to do just that, starting with the 49 trees they brought to the park Thursday.
"The contributors that were involved, that's just money we didn't have in Mena," said Carla Vaught with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Office in Polk County. "It's wonderful to get that support from across the state."
Maggie Bailey, a Mena native who was there during the tornado, worked with her friend Kristen Head to help raise $2,000 for the effort at 'Trees for Mena', an event held at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.
"People have faith in us now, people have hope for the future," she said Thursday. "A lady was jogging, and she came up to us and was all 'Thank you, thank you so much!' I had tears in my eyes all day today."
Re-Green Mena's other goals include purchasing 16 more trees for Jansseen Park, distributing seedlings for Mena residents at an event in January, and raising more money to buy sod and plants for residents that lost vegetation in the storm. Officials are also planning to hold tree planting seminars for residents, so any trees they replace will stay green for a long time.
For more information, or to donate to Re-Green Mena, you can visit their website at ReGreenMena.com or ReGreenMena.org. You can also donate at any Diamond Bank location in Southwest Arkansas, or by mailing a check made out to ReGreen Mena to:
ReGreen Mena 1135 Airport Road Hot Springs, AR 71913
Shovels and backhoes have become common sights around town after the massive tornado this past April that damaged or destroyed large portions of the town, as well as parts of Le Flore and Polk counties.
But one familiar sight has sadly been missing; dozens of old hardwood trees that were lost in the storm.
"We hauled over 8,600 large truckloads of debris out of town, and the biggest part of that was trees," said Mayor George McKee on Thursday.
On Thursday, Mayor McKee joined dozens of other people to plant new trees at the city's Janssen Park. 65 trees were destroyed at the park alone during the storm, but thanks to a collaboration between several local businesses they're starting to be replaced.
Seven different organizations or businesses have partnered together to form "Re-Green Mena", and have raised nearly $10,000 dollars to do just that, starting with the 49 trees they brought to the park Thursday.
"The contributors that were involved, that's just money we didn't have in Mena," said Carla Vaught with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Office in Polk County. "It's wonderful to get that support from across the state."
Maggie Bailey, a Mena native who was there during the tornado, worked with her friend Kristen Head to help raise $2,000 for the effort at 'Trees for Mena', an event held at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.
"People have faith in us now, people have hope for the future," she said Thursday. "A lady was jogging, and she came up to us and was all 'Thank you, thank you so much!' I had tears in my eyes all day today."
Re-Green Mena's other goals include purchasing 16 more trees for Jansseen Park, distributing seedlings for Mena residents at an event in January, and raising more money to buy sod and plants for residents that lost vegetation in the storm. Officials are also planning to hold tree planting seminars for residents, so any trees they replace will stay green for a long time.
For more information, or to donate to Re-Green Mena, you can visit their website at ReGreenMena.com or ReGreenMena.org. You can also donate at any Diamond Bank location in Southwest Arkansas, or by mailing a check made out to ReGreen Mena to:
ReGreen Mena 1135 Airport Road Hot Springs, AR 71913
