Cumberland Falls State Park cleanup to be held Saturday

Volunteers are needed Saturday to help beautify Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.

From 10 a.m. until noon, volunteers will pick up litter along Ky. 90 between the park entrance and the lodge, and other road in and near the park.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the gift shop near the falls.

Officials said volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate.

“Volunteers with children will be directed to age-appropriate cleanup areas,” Officials said.

Door prizes will be awarded.

In addition to being a source of community pride, county pride is on the line again as Whitley and McCreary County, once again, compete for the Cleanup Cup.

The cup, which resides with the winning county’s judge-executive, is given to the county that turns out the most volunteers.

Each county has earned the award five times, which Whitley County taking home the prize in 2018.

“The 2018 cleanup set a record with 632 volunteers participating, and we expect even more volunteers to mobilize this year,” said Tammie Nazzario of PRIDE, one of the event organizers.

Additional awards will be present to the school group and community group that turns out the most volunteers.

Upon the completion of the event, volunteers will be treated to picnic lunch near the gift shop.

All volunteers should dress appropriately for working outdoors in the weather that morning. Sturdy shoes are recommended. PRIDE will provide disposable gloves and safety vests.

The event is a partnership among PRIDE, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, McCreary County Fiscal Court 109 Board, Whitley County Fiscal Court, US Forest Service, McCreary County Extension Service, McCreary County Board of Education, Whitley County School System and Pine Knot Job Corp.

The Cumberland Falls Spring Cleanup is part of the PRIDE Spring Cleanup campaign across 42 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky. The region-wide PRIDE Spring Cleanup is sponsored by Walmart and Outdoor Venture Corporation

For more information, please call the PRIDE office, toll free, at 888-577-4339. To invite friends to volunteer, look for the Cumberland Falls Spring Cleanup event on Facebook.