Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Trash pick-up Sept. 10

Volunteers are needed for Prescotts annual fall litter pickup campaign on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 8:30-11 a.m.

Sponsored by the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, the cleanup is being held in conjunction with the Great Arkansas Cleanup, the annual fall statewide litter pickup campaign presented by Keep Arkansas Beautiful, a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc.

"Litter is a problem in Prescott," said Mary Godwin, executive director of the Chamber, coordinator for this year's cleanup. "It is illegal to litter. It can affect our community's potential to attract business, industry and tourism. It has a devastating effect on our water supply. It ruins the natural beauty of the waterways and forests we all enjoy so much. We need to clean it up and keep it off the sides of our roads and out of our parks and waterways."

Everyone in Prescott is encouraged to participate in this year's cleanup effort. Civic and service organizations, church and youth groups, school groups and clubs, scouts, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses can put together a cleanup crew and pitch in.

Volunteers will meet at the Bank of Prescott parking lot at 8:30 a.m. to register. The pick-up will begin at 9, with cash prizes going to the top four teams bringing in the most bagged garbage by weight. The first place team will walk away with $200, while the second place crew will receive $150. Third place nets $100, while fourth place will earn $50.

The Chamber will provide trash bags, gloves and orange vests for those participating. In addition, Godwin said, the first 50 people who register will get a free tee shirts. Other goodies will be given out as prizes as well.

Godwin said this is an excellent opportunity for local groups and organizations to get together and raise money, while also helping clean Prescott up. We had several high school clubs and organizations participate last year. Its a good way for them to raise money for their clubs.

Those who participate in the pick-up can look for trash in any part of town. However, they need to know bringing large items, such as appliances, back wont help their attempt of winning the cash. Large items wont be counted in this event.

The teams must bring the trash they picked up back to the bank parking lot to be weighed.

In addition, Godwin asks people to pick up around their homes and yards, just to help make Prescott look better.

"Litter is everyone's responsibility," said Godwin. "No, we aren't all be litterers, but we do all live in this community together and must work together to keep it cleaned up. If this were a perfect world, no one would litter and those of us who volunteer for cleanup events wouldn't have to pick up other people's trash. But, unfortunately, that's not the way it is. We all have to pitch in and stop pitching out."

For larger items, such as furniture and appliances, Godwin said, the Chamber is working with the City of Prescott to get these items picked up. Those who have such items should call the Chamber at 887-2101 or City Hall at 887-2210, so they can be picked up.

Godwin urges groups, individuals and organizations that have adopted-a-mile to pick their miles up at this time as well. Those who do need to report back to Godwin on how much trash they picked up so Prescott can receive credit for it in the statewide campaign.

The statewide kickoff date for the statewide Great Arkansas Cleanup is Sept. 10. Events are being organized across the state during September and October as part of the Great Arkansas Cleanup.

Last year, the cleanup was the most successful ever, involving 197 events in 54 Arkansas counties. Just over 20,000 volunteers picked up almost four million pounds of trash; cleaned up 4,678 miles of roadway, 136 parks and public areas, and 1,063 miles of shoreline; and closed 42 illegal dumps. Approximately one-quarter of the trash was diverted from landfills and recycled.

The volunteer-driven effort provided the state and participating communities a cost-saving value of just over $2 million.

The statewide sponsors for this year's cleanup are the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Keep America Beautiful Inc., Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores, and Glad Force Flex.