#KeepCorbinClean picking up steam

#KeepCorbinClean has been gaining momentum since it began in early September and organizers say they are surprised by the response.

The effort encouraging individuals, businesses and organizations to take the time to pick up trash in and around Corbin has picked up steam with even the Corbin Redhounds football team getting involved.

The local effort was the brainchild of New Hope Ministries Pastor Mike Addison and Corbin City Commissioners Trent Knuckles and Andrew Pennington.

Addison said he really saw the need for the effort when his church started a mission to walk every street in Corbin and pray over it.

“We started on Memorial Day and did it through Labor Day,” Addison said of the walk.

When Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin started his Beautify the Bluegrass initiative, Addison said he, Knuckles and Pennington talked about starting a local effort.

The trio started their effort on September 2 when they took on the challenge on Gordon Hill between downtown and Circle K.

“It has been awesome and has had a tremendous response,” Addison said.

Instead of scheduling an event and asking people to work it into their schedule, Addison said the idea has been to challenge people to find time within a certain time period to take the initiative and do it on their own.

By posting pictures on social media with the hash tag #keepcorbinclean, Addison said the goal has been to encourage others.

“The thing we are trying to do is just try to raise awareness,” Addison said.

“Hopefully when they see us or the Redhounds or whoever, it inspires someone to take an hour, go out and pick up trash and put it on social media to inspire someone else.”

Pennington agreed explaining that while driving to work every day through the heart of Corbin, he noticed several areas where the trash appeared to pile up.

“I imagined a few civic organizations would step up, but I was surprised and pleased with the number of people that have participated,” Pennington said.

Pennington said the key to continuing the effort is for participants to challenge their friends, family and neighbors, even if it is just cleaning up the area along their street.

“Cleanup begats cleanup, begats cleanup,” Pennington said urging participants to post pictures of their efforts on social media and to include the hash tag along with a challenge.

“As long as it remains a social movement, it will continue to thrive,” Pennington said.