Our Family Tree
Learn about the generous donors who have established charitable funds through Stark Community Foundation.
The W. Roderic Covey Tree Fund honors the legacy of tree advocate W. Roderic Covey and supports organizations in Stark County and beyond in their efforts to conserve and plant trees, which recently included three mature maple trees planted by ICAN Housing as part of a pocket park update project.
W. Roderic Covey Tree Fund
Est. 2021 / Field of Interest Fund
Named in memory of tree advocate W. Roderic Covey, the W. Roderic Covey Tree Fund supports organizations in Stark County and beyond in their efforts to conserve trees through planting, care and education. In the early 2000s, Rod led a determined fight to save a more than 400-year-old cucumber magnolia tree in his Auburn Knolls neighborhood in North Canton. His passion, persistence and advocacy preserved what is believed to be the world’s oldest and largest tree of its kind. After Rod’s passing in 2021, his daughter, Lisa Covey, established a charitable fund to honor his legacy and ensure his commitment to nature would live on for generations.
Today, that legacy continues through the fund’s support of projects like ICAN Housing's urban accents initiative. In 2024, ICAN began the first phase of the project by planting three mature maple trees at a pocket park located at the intersection of 6th Street NE and Walnut Avenue NE in downtown Canton. The park, featuring a mural, garden, green space and seating, previously sat in full sun, making it less inviting for visitors. Now, with the addition of much-needed shade provided by three new trees, the space has become a more welcoming retreat for the community—just the kind of lasting impact Rod would have cherished.