MARSHALLTOWN (AP) — A woman has launched an initiative aimed at beautifying trees damaged by a tornado that ripped through Marshalltown in central Iowa.
Linda Harvey has chosen eight trees around town to decorate, the Times-Republican reported. Harvey said the trees aren't slated for removal by the city, and she hopes the decorations will remain up for as long as the public wishes.
“We don’t want a perfect looking tree to decorate and make beautiful — we want one that was pretty much destroyed to bring some beauty back to the neighborhoods,” said Harvey.
Harvey started brainstorming ideas on how to help with cleanup efforts about a week after the July 19 storm. She reached out to City Administrator Jessica Kinser to learn how the trees were impacted.
Kinser said she advised Harvey “to get permission and to avoid areas where there were still hanging branches or a large amount of debris still on the right-of-way.”
Harvey, who has spent years as an educator and also worked as an artist for Disney, Nickelodeon and Coca-Cola, said she’s including repurposed fabrics like knitted afghans, crocheted blankets, old sweaters and sequined clothing in the tree designs.
“I have themes for several of the trees, so this one is ‘Feeling Blue, But Marshalltown Strong,’” Harvey said. “Another one will be ‘Putting the Pieces of the Community Back Together, But Marshalltown Strong.’”
After the first tree is completed, a public meeting will be held September 8 at the Marshalltown Public Library that’ll aim to find more volunteers who want to help expand the concept.