Volunteers scour city in effort to #keepcorbinclean

Approximately 20 people turned out Saturday morning to help #keepcorbinclean.

After meeting up at Sanders Park at 9 a.m. to enjoy breakfast provided by the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and organize into groups, the volunteers spread out across the city with trash bags and garbage grabbers in hand.

By the end of the event, the volunteers had collected several pickup truck sized loads of trash as they worked their way up Gordon Hill, along South Main Street, Cumberland Falls Hwy., Master Street and throughout downtown.

“I was really happy,” said Suzie Razmus, one of the event organizers. “Picking up trash is not a fun thing but it is a rewarding thing to do.”

Razmus said she was even happier considering the heavy thunderstorms that rolled through the area Friday night left doubt as to whether the cleanup would even happen.

“It was just perfect,” Razmus said of the weather.

Lisa Garrison turned out for the event with her children Isabel and Shamus Ragsdale in tow.

“We wanted to be involved in the community and give back to the community that we live in,” Garrison said.

“It is good to help the environment,” Isabel added.

Razmus said she would like to organize another cleanup at some point. However, each of the participants was given a trash grabber and she said she hopes they will continue to use them.

“They were given to people that actually care. They have the tools that they need to continue the battle,” Razmus said. “I’m hoping that everyone puts them to good use until we can organize a cleanup again.”

Razmus credited Corbin Public Works for putting additional resources into litter abatement around the city.

“You are seeing a huge difference,” Razmus said.

#keepcorbinclean was started in September by City Commissioners Trent Knuckles and Andrew Pennington, and New Hope Ministries Pastor Mike Addison as part of the statewide effort to, “Beautify the Bluegrass.”

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

Communities, businesses and organizations across the commonwealth were asked to take on a local initiative or clean-up project.

The results of the projects are submitted to kentuckyliving.com. Beginning in early August, Kentuckians may choose from among ten nominees to determine four finalists.

Governor Bevin will announce the winner on Aug. 23 at the Kentucky State Fair.

Participants in the winning project will receive a complete BBQ dinner with Bevin and Lt. Governor Jenean Hampton.

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.

To aid in Corbin’s efforts, participants are asked to post photos on social media and include the hashtag #keepcorbinclean.

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