Volunteers plant trees for neighborhood

An Indian Hills homeowner has found patience and hard work is the recipe for doing something about the sight of garbage and broken fences along Highway 395 in her neighborhood.

Kathryn Clark-Ross, a teacher at Western Nevada Community College, started her quest by asking for help from the governor and worked her way through several government agencies until she found help with the Indian Hills General Improvement District.

The improvement district was able to purchase trees and provide assistance for the project.

By working several of her days off, Clark-Ross was able to wind through state bureaucracies, gather her neighbors together and acquire the resources and helping hands needed to make a difference.

"To see this actually happening says to me you can go out there and clean up your neighborhood and make this place a better place to live," Clark-Ross said.

The project to create a landscaped buffer zone between homes behind Opalite Drive and Opalite Court required the acquisition of an easement and agreements with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Indian Hills GID then purchased more than 200 deciduous and pine trees to plant behind the homes using funds in its Open Space Improvement budget. The trees will screen the homes from the lights and noise of the highway while beautifying the neighborhood.

"The idea was to build a natural screening to screen out lights and noise," said Jim Bentley, general manager of the improvement district. "Obviously it will dress up the community too."

The improvement district will maintain the 50-feet- by 1,300-feet-long strip of landscaping.

Volunteers are needed to help plant trees beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday Another planting will be held Nov. 2. Clark-Ross said she will have a big pot of coffee ready for anyone who shows up to help.

YOU CAN HELP

What: Volunteers needed to plant trees in Indian Hills

Where: 965 Opalite Drive

When: 8:30 a.m. Saturday

Information: Call Kathryn Clark-Ross at 267-4675 or 445-3260