By Charlotte A. Graham, countyreporter@laurelleadercall.com
April 23, 2009 09:58 am
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The roadways, highways and streets of Jones County should look a lot cleaner this week.
Residents from Laurel and surrounding communities are participating in the nation’s largest beautification, conservation and cleanup endeavor as a part of The Great American Cleanup 2009. Keep Laurel/Jones County Beautiful (KLJCB) kicked off this year’s Cleanup with a celebration on the steps of the Jones County Courthouse on Monday.
Jones County Supervisor Jerome Wyatt, KLJCB Chairman, said this is the 19th year the county has participated in The Great American Cleanup. Participation started in 1990 when the county became a Keep America Beautiful affiliate.
“Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup is celebrating its 24th Anniversary in 2009, featuring over 2 million volunteers participating in over 30,000 events in over 15,000 communities in all 50 states,” said Ellisville Mayor Tim Waldrup, chairman of the Great American Cleanup. “Jones County is proud of its natural resources and its neighborhoods and seeks to protect and improve our community though the action of citizens, schools, government and businesses working together.”
Proclamations were presented to elected officials who agreed to participate in the county-wide effort. The board of supervisors, as well as officials from Laurel, SoSo, and Sandersville are among the participants. Cleanups will be held in each area throughout the week.
“I expect this week to be a success for all of us,” said Barbara Johnson, a KLJCB committee member and emcee for Monday’s kick-off. “What I want you to think about as you look around you is what a wonderful county this would be if there were no liter.”
Johnson said that the Jones County Economic Development Association has as its slogan. “Now this is living.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could say, ‘Now this is living litter free,’... ‘Now this is living and not have trash on our roadways.’”
Johnson encouraged those present to have “pride in our community, pride in our hometowns and pride in our people who live here.”
She invited church and school groups, classes, clubs, and businesses to join in the Cleanup. Sign-up sheets and garbage bags for the Cleanup are available at the Jones County Chamber of Commerce.
Prizes will be awarded to individual, business and group that pick up the greatest amount of trash.
“We have given out golden eggs to some of our elected officials to place somewhere in their communities,” added Johnson. “These eggs are worth $20 a piece.”
The eggs, which will be hidden in some littered area, will have to be turned in when the Cleanup activities conclude on Saturday, April 25. A cook-out celebration is planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cotton Mill Park, in front of the Crocker’s building in Laurel.
“We will have a DJ, free food and beverages and fun-filled activities,” added Johnson. “Those who attend will have a chance to win a Troybilt trimmer and a back pack blower. You have to be present to win.”
For additional information, telephone the Chamber of Commerce at 601-428-0574.
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