#keepcorbinclean begins second campaign, picks up support

#KeepCorbinClean is in full force following a successful campaign in 2017 with numerous individuals, groups and organizations combing the area to pick up trash.

Corbin High School teacher Heather Martinez along with students Madison Troutman, LInda Chin and Callie Brock spent Monday morning picking up trash along Depot Street and Roy Kidd Ave. as part of the #keepcorbinclean campaign.

Corbin High School teacher Heather Martinez along with students Madison Troutman, Linda Chin and Callie Black took to the area around Depot Street and Roy Kidd Ave. Monday morning to help keep Corbin clean.

Martinez said she and the students weren’t part of any particular group or organization at the high school, but came together and decided to do their part for the city.

On June 18, Suzie Razmus threw out a challenge to the community, offering #keepcorbinclean t-shirts to the first 20 people who posted on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag and a photo of themselves picking up trash in the area.

“It all makes a difference, and the added bonus is that people will see your efforts and be inspired to do their parts as well,” Razmus wrote in the post.

Razmus also threw out a challenge to the individuals who started the effort in Sept. 2017, City Commissioners Trent Knuckles and Andrew Pennington, and New Hope Ministries Pastor Mike Addison.

As part of the startup, the trio took on the task of picking up the trash on Gordon Hill between downtown and Circle K.

Pennington said the trio would be taking on the hill Saturday morning.

Pennington said one of the things he was surprised to find in his cleanup efforts is that the trash he found is not all tires and plastic bags.

“It is a lot of what I call, ‘afterthought litter,’” Pennington said explaining that Styrofoam cups and plastic wrapping from cigarette packs makes up a good portion of what he picks up.

Knuckles, who picked up a section of Barton Mill Road Saturday with his daughter, Rachel, showed off some of the unique items they found in their Facebook post, including a piece of aluminum siding and a George Foreman grill.

Knuckles said in past years organizations such as PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) held cleanup events across the area, especially in the spring. However, those events are no longer held for whatever reason, leaving a void in the community. #keepcorbinclean is seeking to fill that void.

Pennington said while some groups and organizations are taking on larger areas, #keepcorbinclean is not limited to that.

“You can be involved by picking up a few pieces of trash around your mailbox,” Pennington said. “You don’t have to go all out.”

Those who participate and post their efforts on Facebook or Instagram with the #keepcorbinclean hashtag will be entered into a weekly drawing for prizes courtesy of Tri-County Cineplex, Northeastern Mutual and Norvex.

To wrap up the effort, a community wide cleanup will be held July 21 at Sanders Park.

Pennington said like other community-wide efforts, there is always a possibility that interest and participation will wane.

However, at the moment he doesn’t see that happening.

“I feel like we have more momentum than we did the whole time last year,” Pennington said. “More people post and more people are on board than all of last year. I would say it will be tenfold over what we had last year.”

Pennington added that the core group driving the effort remain committed.

“Once the newness of an idea wears off it becomes hard to maintain that momentum. We have a dedicated group of people,” Pennington said.

Pennington added that unlike other cleanup efforts #keepcorbinclean is held in a manner that permits participants to work it into their schedule.

“The reason it has worked so well is that people have done what they could when they could,” Pennington said.