Roadside cleanup set for April 30
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on April 17, 2005 8:32 AM
Disgusted by roadside trash? Think of how nice it would be to drive past cleaner curbs and get 30 miles per gallon in the city.
People have a chance to do both if they sign up for Wayne County's Spring Litter Sweep. It will be held 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 30.
The countywide roadside cleanup usually has good participation, but volunteers this year have an extra incentive -- a chance to win a new 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid. A new corporate sponsor for Keep America Beautiful, Honda is giving the vehicle away to some volunteer who assists in the Great American Cleanup, which includes the Litter Sweep.
"We hope that this will attract even more volunteers," said Simonne Cato, director of Keep Wayne County Beautiful.
People can register now at www.waygov.com/littersweep and enter the drawing for both the Accord and door prizes that will be awarded at the local event's wrapup. Early registration also helps organizers plan for the free lunch for volunteers.
Spring Litter Sweep is a joint effort by Keep Wayne County Beautiful, N.C. Department of Transportation, Wayne County and the city of Goldsboro to clean up roadways throughout the county. Several locations have been chosen for attention during Litter Sweep.
Also, Adopt-A-Highway groups have been asked to clean their road sections that day, if not earlier.
Individuals, youth groups, civic groups and businesses should sign up now to help. Volunteers will meet at the Wayne County Courthouse, Ormond Street doors, at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 30, where they will be provided supplies such as safety vests, bags, gloves and pickup sticks. Transportation will be provided to cleanup locations.
If they wish, groups can also arrange to pick up supplies earlier than April 30 and go directly to their assigned sites that morning.
All volunteers will be invited to return to the courthouse for box lunches and a brief closing ceremony, starting around 11:15 am.
Also, Wayne County commissioners have proclaimed April 30 as "Amnesty Day." This means the county landfill will waive the tipping fees for all residents of Wayne County from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. to bring construction debris, wood, bricks, yard waste and other items for which it'd normally charge.
"Amnesty Day" is meant to encourage residents to clean their personal properties. It is not open to commercial businesses and waste haulers.
Goldsboro residents have until the end of the month to schedule free pick-ups of bulky items such as discarded furniture, refrigerators, freezers, stoves, hot water heaters, mattresses, box springs and other small appliances.
They should call 734-8674 for an appointment.
The Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program. It is coordinated nationally by Keep America Beautiful during the months of March through May. Activities promoted include litter cleanups, recycling events, educational outreach and beautification projects.
Two national sponsors are Bridgestone/Firestone and Sherwin-Williams.
The Firestone Tire and Service Center on Berkeley Boulevard will accept automotive batteries at no charge through the end of the month. It will also accept scrap tires from organized cleanup days. The offer does not apply to businesses, only individual consumers.
"By providing sound environmental management programs for used automotive products, Bridgestone/Firestone will help keep these materials out of the environment and ensure they are recycled to help keep America beautiful," Mrs. Cato said.
Sherwin-Williams offers Keep America Beautiful affiliates a discount card to be used exclusively for community graffiti removal and abatement projects.