Spring cleanup

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Keep America Beautiful volunteers spent a sunny first day of spring Saturday tidying up the roadways around Cleveland State Community College.

It was the first of several Treasure 'n' Trash events for the year and part of the Great American Cleanup.

Among the volunteers were women from the Aldersgate Garden Club.

"We let everybody know that gardeners do other things besides planting flowers. We also help the environment and this is part of it," said Kay Cox, garden club president.

Garden clubs across Tennessee take part in community cleanups, said Lellia Ware. That is part of belonging to a federation of garden clubs, she said.

"It's also about giving back to the community," said Charlotte Scott. "As we grew up, everyone contributed to us, and now it's time for us to contribute back to the community. And hopefully our youth will see us and come out and join us."

The volunteers worked along Adkisson Drive and Norman Chapel Road. Bags of trash were loaded into a Cleveland Public Works truck. The "treasure" part of the event includes gifts of T-shirts and coupons.

ON THE WEBTo learn more about Keep America Beautiful or find a local chapter, visit www.kab.org.

Joanne Maskew, Cleveland/Bradley County Keep America Beautiful, reminded people that "trash travels."

Rain can wash litter far from its source. Natural wind and breezes stirred by passing vehicles can waft lightweight trash such as paper for great distances, building a carpet of waste.

"Trash does not stay in one place. Chances are it's going to travel somewhere else," Mrs. Maskew said.

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