COVINGTON, Ga. – Covington Mayor Ronnie Johnston presented a check to Covington Police Department Chief Stacey Cotton Monday evening from Second Sister Movie LLC, the filming company that flocked the Covington square with snow for a Hallmark Christmas movie, for $2,500 for Officer Matt Cooper’s recovery.

Johnston said with Covington’s title of “Hollywood of the South,” it is rewarding to receive a donation from a studio in honor of a local officer. 

“As y’all know, this community has still ongoingly been supportive of Matt Cooper and I think the paper kind of quoted me – I think it was last week – saying that I made a statement. You know I am pretty optimistic that Matt’s going to recover. I’ve had some people say ‘Well, how do you know that?’ That’s just what I believe. One of the reasons I believe it so much is because of what I’ve seen with this community.”

Johnston said in his travels recently, he has heard the outpouring of support for the Covington community as a whole. 

“We’ve made a statement and example,” he said. “I was in Washington DC last week and that’s what they’re talking about how Covington has come together for the common good – not just one individual, but all of us. I’m very proud of that.”