Rolfe Neill Memorial Fund to honor the legacy of our leader and friend

One of the toughest changes for TreesCharlotte was the recent passing of founding board member Rolfe Neill. A familiar face to many in Charlotte as the former publisher of the Charlotte Observer, Rolfe was widely regarded throughout the tree community as a driving force for the preservation of our city’s canopy. When reflecting on the need for leadership in caring for the trees of Charlotte, Rolfe reminded us, “Most of the things we value or enjoy, we take for granted. Often, they’ve been here when we arrived; we assume ‘somebody’ is taking care. Actually, only a very small number of people are involved in taking care of our trees.”

It is our goal to honor Neill by continuing to do just that: take care of our trees. 

As we carry on in fulfilling the mission Rolfe helped start, TreesCharlotte has chosen to honor our leader and dear friend by establishing a memorial fund in his memory. The Rolfe Neill Memorial Fund strives to celebrate Rolfe’s legacy as a champion of trees through a variety of meaningful initiatives created in his memory. One such endeavor is the enhancement of one of Rolfe’s favorite spots in Charlotte – The TreesCharlotte Honorary Garden at Freedom Park. Our plans include supplemental landscaping, a reflection bench, and the addition of Rolfe’s favorite tree, the dogwood, as well as continued care for the garden. Future initiatives will be announced as proposed and approved with any remaining funds added to the TreesCharlotte Endowment Fund that Rolfe helped establish in 2016.

If you would like to honor Neill’s memory with a donation to his fund, please complete the form below.