Whitley County prepares for PRIDE Spring Cleanup Month in April

The long winter is finally over, and you can make plans to enjoy the great outdoors during PRIDE Spring Cleanup Month in April. 

Local cleanup activities are now being organized by Whitley County PRIDE Coordinator Judy Brimm, Williamsburg PRIDE Coordinator Gina Hamblin, and Whitley County Schools PRIDE Coordinator Heather Stewart.

“I invite you to join the local cleanup efforts because PRIDE, or Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment, is something each of us must work at constantly,” said Judy Brimm, who is the county’s Finance Officer. 

“It makes me proud to see how hard our students work to help clean our roads and landscape,” said Heather Stewart, who is the school district’s Reading Specialist. “They remind their parents to keep it clean and continue the PRIDE initiative.”

“Team PRIDE starts with you,” said PRIDE’s Karen Engle. “That’s our theme for the 2010 Spring Cleanup. If you volunteer and invite others to join the team with you, then your community will be a cleaner, healthier place to live and visit. Please, call your PRIDE Coordinator now to plan a Spring Cleanup project with your friends, neighbors, coworkers, church family, or club.”

PRIDE Coordinators are volunteers who play a vital role in building PRIDE in their communities. They work with the PRIDE staff to organize cleanup activities, recruit volunteers, and track cleanup results. They assist local officials with the programs of PRIDE, a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental cleanup and education in 38 counties. 

PRIDE Coordinators now are planning each community’s Spring Cleanup activities. Throughout April, volunteers will pick up roadside litter. PRIDE will provide volunteer T-shirts and cleanup supplies. PRIDE also will help local governments pay for disposing of roadside litter, removing illegal dumps, and offering free drop-off events for the community.

Volunteers of all ages are invited to join the excitement of the PRIDE Spring Cleanup Kickoff Celebration on Saturday, March 27, at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. 

From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., hundreds of volunteers will pick up litter along Hwy. 90 near the park. All volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, lunch and a chance at door prizes.

At 9 a.m., volunteer registration will begin at the gift shop beside Cumberland Falls. Volunteers will pick up their gloves, safety vests and trash bags.

The event will end with a free cook-out beside the gift shop. At that time, the Litter Cup trophy will be awarded to McCreary County or Whitley County for recruiting the most volunteers for the event. Awards will be given to the school group and nonprofit organizations that bring the most volunteers. 

During the cook-out, volunteer names will be drawn for door prizes. A special prize will be given to the volunteer that finds the most unusual piece of trash.

The Kickoff Celebration is sponsored by Eastern Kentucky PRIDE, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, McCreary County Fiscal Court, Whitley County Fiscal Court, US Forest Service, McCreary County Extension Service, Whitley County School System, Bank of McCreary County and Kroger U-Save. Outdoor Venture Corporation is a sponsor of the region-wide PRIDE Spring Cleanup Month.

To volunteer for the Spring Cleanup in Whitley County, please contact Judy Brimm at 549-6000 or finance@2geton.net. In Williamsburg, please call Gina Hamblin at 549-6033. To learn about Whitley County Schools’ Spring Cleanup activities, please contact Heather Stewart at 549-7001 extension 4401 or heather.stewart@whitley.kyschools.us. 

After April 1, a list of local Spring Cleanup events will be available by clicking on Whitley County on the map at www.kypride.org.

Top, Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison signs a proclamation declaring April as Pride Spring Cleanup Month in the city of Williamsburg. Cleanup dates in Williamsburg are March 29 – April 9 on the Highland Park side of town, and from April 12 – 23 on the downtown side. Bottom, PRIDE Coordinators Heather Stewart and Gina Hamblin recently attended a regional planning workshop for PRIDE Spring Cleanup Month. Judy Brimm also attended but is not pictured.