KCCB, Girl Scouts plant trees at Copperas Cove PD

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

Dozens of Girl Scouts from four Girl Scouts of Central Texas troops and Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful volunteers met together Saturday morning at the Copperas Cove Police Department for the Arbor Day tree planting. 
KCCB Executive Director Roxanne Flores-Achmad called the partnership between KCCB and the Girl Scouts a “win-win situation.” 
Saturday’s tree planting was the third time that Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful planted bushes and trees at the police station, with the first planting of dozens of shrubs and trees, including Texas Sage, crepe myrtles and salvia, occurring last November in 2020 and the second planting of additional shrubs occurring in May 2021. 
This month’s tree planting included the planting of two Bradford pear trees. 
Girl Scouts of Central Texas sponsored the refreshments, and girls from four different troops had the opportunity to earn a badge for planting a tree as part of the Girl Scouts Tree Promise. 
Girl Scouts launched an initiative in 2021 to plant, protect and honor five million trees across the country in five years, known as the Tree Promise. 
“It’s an honor to be able to participate and beautify at the police department because we love our police, but it’s also a great way to beautify the police department and just give back to the community,” Flores-Achmad said. “The police department does so much in our community so it is nice way of saying thank you to them.”
Flores-Achmad was happy to see the different ages of volunteers attending the Arbor Day planting Saturday morning. 
“It’s phenomenal,” Flores-Achmad said. “We couldn’t do it without our volunteers and anytime we feel discouraged because maybe it’s cold outside, when we see these young kids out here wanting to make a difference, it’s awe-inspiring and makes us realize that we’re making a difference ourselves and just want to go out and do something.”
Copperas Cove Chief of Police Eddie Wilson said that this planting was another great opportunity. 
“We’re taking advantage of another great organization within our community that’s helping us out once again, so we’re really happy to have them, and we’re really grateful to have citizens like this in our community,” Wilson said. 
The pear trees were planted on the backside of the police station building for employees to view as they walked in. 
“It’s such a hard looking rectangular building and having some vegetation around it definitely makes it look softer,” Wilson said. 
The girls had the chance to shovel dirt and help beautify the police department, but they also danced to a warm up led by Refit dance instructors throughout the event. 
“It’s another activity out here,” said Shawna Padley, GSCTX Local Communities Recruitment, about the event. “Cove has a lot to do but it’s getting unique opportunities like this where they actually get to go…behind the police station- they don’t really get to see a lot of behind as well- but it’s just an opportunity for them to get out, to be part of the community after being inside for so long from quarantine. They’re all really excited to come out and start helping and making those connections again.”
Girls from the Daisies age group (Kindergarten) up to the Cadettes group (7th graders) were in attendance with their families. 
Padley said that she wanted to thank local organizations, like Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful, for their partnership. 
“It’s really important to show that partnership with other local organizations that believe in the same things that Girl Scouts does,” Padley said. “It’s really impactful, and I think it shows a lot to the girls that it is a community effort, and we’re working towards the same goal. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Girl Scout or you’re with something else; it’s all for the collective betterment of the community.”
For information on joining a Girl Scout troop in Copperas Cove, people can email Padley at Shawnap@gsctx.org or visit www.gsctx.org/join.