Connecting People! Connecting Places! is the theme for this year's Newton Trails fund-raiser to be held at Legion Field in Covington on May 6, 2023, 5:30-8:00 p.m.

The theme comes from our need to connect the east and west parts of the Cricket Frog Trail by renovating the Alcovy River Bridge as well as to make a number of other connections.

In the short run, those include connecting the Eastside Trail with the Cricket Frog Trail, extending the Cricket Frog Trail to Newborn, and building trail entry points to connect neighborhoods to our trails.

In the long run, we need to extend the Cricket Frog Trail to Porterdale, connect Oxford's trails to the larger County network, and more.

What you can do now

• Save the date and plan on attending. There will be silent and live auctions, an opportunity to fund a specific need, and other ways to support Newton Trails mission.
• Write info@newtontrails.org if you or your business want to sponsor the event.
• Watch for an announcement for when ticket sales begin and then buy tickets.
• Make a pre-event donation to Newton Trails at newtontrails.org/donations.

Construction

• With funding from the City of Covington and grants obtained by Newton Trails, the Dried Indian Creek Bridge was completed and opened. The result is 5.40 miles of continuous paved trail from Turner Lake Road to East End Road.
• With funding from the City of Mansfield and Holder Construction for the asphalt, Newton County's Transportation Department paved the Cricket Frog Trail within the city limits of Mansfield. The result is 8.16 miles of continuous paved trail from the Alcovy River to Zeigler Road.
• New Cricket Frog Trail parking lots were developed at Old Starrsville Road, on County Road 213 just west of Gaithers Road, and on Sunbelt Parkway just off Piper Road, The last two were built by Newton County's Transportation Department.
• The City of Covington installed rapid flasher lights to improve safety where the Cricket Frog Trail crosses busy city streets.
• Newton Trails installed mile marker signs along the paved sections of the Cricket Frog Trail.
• First Baptist Church of Covington, the City of Covington, and Newton Trails cooperatively worked to address storm water drainage issues along the Cricket Frog Trail between Elm Street and Lyda Sue Lane.
• Newton County's project to replace the Yellow River Bridge on Browns Bridge Road has begun. The new bridge will include a trail crossing that will someday be part of the Yellow River Trail.

Planning

• Newton Trails raised $200,000 toward its goal of $650,000 for renovation of the Alcovy River Bridge. Requests for the remainder are pending.
• Newton Trails and the Town of Newborn developed and are working on a plan for extending the Cricket Frog Trail from Zeigler Road to Newborn.
• Newton County completed a county-wide trails master plan, decided to use the Yellow River Trail funding in the 2017 SPLOST to acquire easements for that trail, and saw voters approve the 2023 SPLOST that includes $1 million for trails.
• The City of Oxford developed plans for significantly expanding its trail network.
• The City of Mansfield developed plans for a trailhead and parking along the Cricket Frog Trail.

Amenities & Maintenance

• Four benches were donated and another was purchased by Newton Trails. These were placed along the Cricket Frog Trail near Elm Street, Legion Field, and Dorchester Place as well as south of the Covington Bypass and east of Dixie Road.
• A trash can was placed near Gaithers Road. A nearby resident volunteered to regularly empty it.
• Newton Trial purchased a Kawasaki mule and aluminum trailer to support the trail maintenance efforts of its volunteers.

Outreach

• Newton Trails established an Advisory Council comprised of local leaders and trail supporters for the purpose of gaining input and advice from the community, expanding our network of supporters, and otherwise advancing our mission.
• Newton Trails entered into an agreement with Rush Tees & Signs on the Covington Square. Newton Trails authorized Rush Tees & Signs to print the Cricket Frog Trail logo on t-shirts and other items. Each sale results in a $5 donation to Newton Trails.
• With Newton Trails' approval, geocache "hides" were placed along the Cricket Frog Trail to support those interested in geocaching.
• City of Covington and Covington Family YMCA held Trick or Treat on the Trail.
• Newton Trails board members and volunteers continued to staff booths or help out at local events including the Cheerios Challenge, Hornyhead Fish Festival and Tournament, Bike Rodeo, Covington Century Bike Ride, and the Covington Fuzz Run.
• This newsletter has been sent to 1674 trail supporters, 148 more than received last December's newsletter. Over 3300 people follow us on Facebook.
• Newton Trails continued to sponsor Wednesday morning group hikes for anyone interested in joining. Regional group bicycle rides were recommenced following a COVID hiatus.

Volunteers

• New Adopt-a-Spot volunteers for the Cricket Frog Trail included Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal (Clark to Robinson streets), Kiwanis Club of Covington (Robinson to Emory streets), Sustainable Newton (Emory to Pace streets), and Kim and Kimberly Bolling (Alcovy River to Old Starrsville Road). New for the Oxford Trail was Oxford College (Old Church to Moore Street).
• Students volunteer groups from Volunteer Oxford (Oxford College of Emory University), Circle K (various Georgia colleges and universities), and Peachtree Academy contributed separate cleanup days.
• Newton Trails continued its tradition of calling together all available volunteers for an hour of trail maintenance on Thursday mornings and longer, occasional weekend maintenance sessions.

Of special note

• Newton Trails and its supporters held a successful fund-raising event on May 14, 2022 on the grounds of Lockwood Manor.
• People's support via shopping rewards, i.e., AmazonSmile and Kroger Rewards, resulted in Newton Trails receiving $337.89 and $189.98 respectively in 2022.
• Newton Trails Board of Directors officers for 2023 will be Duane Ford (chair), Debra Griffith (treasurer), and John McCarthy (secretary).

Dried Indian Creek Bridge ribbon cutting and opening

A newly paved section of the Cricket Frog Trail in Mansfield

Newton County building a trail parking lot on Sunbelt Parkway

2022 fund-raiser at Lockwood Manor

Fun at the 2022 fund-raiser

Auction bidder at the 2022 fund-raiser

Wednesday hike leaders, Dave Sheffield and Cathy Glow

Wednesday group hikers at Stone Mountain Park

Volunteer Oxford clean up under Dried Indian Creek Bridge

Newton Trails at the 2022 Cheerios Challenge

Volunteers pouring a pad for a trail bench

Circle K students cleaning up

Newton Trails appreciates and here recognizes the contributors who so generously supported our work in 2022. If you see an error or omission, please let Newton Trails know at info@newtontrails.org. We want to get it right!

For information about our Donor, Sponsor, and Supporter Recognition Program, please visit www.newtontrails.org/business-sponsors.

DIAMOND ($10,000 or more)

City of Covington

City of Mansfield

Fowler Properties

Holder Construction

Mayfield Ace Hardware

Newton County

Otis and Nell Nixon Foundation

Pratt Industries

PLATINUM ($5,000 - $9,999)

Arnold Fund

Ben and Ralph Miller

Cinelease

Covington Conyers Cycling Club

Covington Police Who Care

The Cove

John and Susie Keck

Melissa McCarthy

GOLD ($2,500 - $4,999)

American Family Tax Services

John and Kelli Nipper

Tony Serrano Century Ride

SILVER ($1,000 - $2,499)

100 Women Who Care

Animal Medical of Covington

Ashton Hills Golf

Caroline Buckner

Covington Place Home Owners Association

Cynthia Abbott

Cynthia & Vince Eagan

Debra Griffith

The Dermatology Center of Newton and Rockdale

Duane and Sheri Ford

Frank and Kay Turner

General Mills

Ginn Motors

Gone Away Farms

Greg and Tamara Richardson

Jeana Hyde

Jerry Bouchillon

The Joint Chiropractic - Newton Health Solutions

Latham Home Sanitation Co, Inc

Loucy & Sam Hay III

Mark and Lisa Hanson

Nitro2Go

Pete and Gail Carter

Pinnacle Bank

Robert Tabb

Ross Potts

Stuart and Sandra Hamilton

United Bank

Universal Planning

Wagner Staffing

Williams Custom Homes

COPPER ($500 - $999)

American Realty – David Haymore

Bill and Julie Gramzinski

Buncie and Jay Lanners

Christy Blanchford

City Pharmacy

Covington Town Center

Covington Veterinary Clinic

David and Connie Waller

David Sheffield

Frank Turner, Jr

Georgia Realty Association

Gina Foil

Gary Massey Insurance

Georgia Water & Environmental Services (GWES, LLC)

Greer, Stansfield, & Turner

Greta and Monty deMayo

Home Town Realty

Jan and Craig Hudson

Jean and Bruce Mundy - Mundy Builders

Keck + Wood

Kingdom Destinations Scoggins Travel

Lacey and Tim Fleming

Long Leaf Hospice

Lowell Chambers

Main Street Trolleys

MB Buckner

Mosquito Joe

Moxie Fitness

Newton Federal Bank

ReMax – Jennifer Tucker

Rivian

Rodney and Julia Sheets

Sandy and Betsy Morehouse

Scott Hubbard Insurance Agency, Inc

Southern Bicycle League

Steelco

Sterling South Property

Tommy Craig Atty

BRONZE ($0 - $499)

SAFETY FIRST - Always remember to stop and look both ways before crossing any street or road. Drivers cannot always see you and sometimes do not stop for people in crosswalks.