CULLMAN – Cullman County Master Gardeners got a not-so-nice surprise Monday when a member showed up to place some plants and found that the group's Demonstration Garden on First Avenue Southeast had been vandalized. The garden's footbridge has been broken, and Master Gardener Teresa Goodwin said the damage could be in the hundreds because the group chose to construct the bridge out of durable, composite material.
"This is probably going to be about six or eight-hundred dollars worth of boards that they damaged, not counting labor," said Goodwin.
"Every once in a while we end up with a plant or something that we've paid for come up missing, and that's one thing, but now…last year I had to make a report because they stole a very expensive urn…I say they stole it; they just took it and then dumped it off the side. It's just vandalism. And this (motioning toward the damaged bridge) is clearly vandalism."
Goodwin, visibly upset, shared with The Tribune her frustrations, saying the Master Gardeners volunteer their time and effort, raising their own funds, to make something nice for the community to enjoy.
"It's not once now, it's twice, and it just seems like stuff like this keeps happening, and it's so (dis)heartening when you put so much heart and soul into it. We just got our beautification award from PALS just a couple of months ago. So, you know, it's just like somebody's making something beautiful not beautiful anymore, and nobody gets to enjoy it."
Goodwin mentioned that a birthday party took place Sunday afternoon at the garden, and she asks that if anyone there saw anything, or if anyone else in the community saw anything between late Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, to please contact the Cullman Police Department at 256-734-1434. An incident report was filed with the CPD.
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