April is Keep America Beautiful Month, and there will be several clean ups scheduled in towns across America during the month of April and into May. Established in 1953, the Keep America Beautiful organization encourages people to end littering, recycle when possible, and beautify America’s communities.
In Sharkey County, the first clean up will be held in Anguilla, this Saturday, April 10. The cleanup is spearheaded by Deloris (Holly) Stringer with support from Mississippi’s Lower Delta Partnership’s Dunk It – Don’t Junk It campaign. Volunteers will check in at the parking lot across from the Bank of Anguilla beginning at 8 a.m. Safety vests, gloves, and trash bags will be available for volunteers to use.
“Sadly, like so many communities today, a quick drive through Anguilla will illustrate just how pervasive the trash problem is”, states LDP coordinator, Meg Cooper. “Trash will not magically disappear, in fact where there is trash, it tends to increase. Getting rid of litter takes people from the community caring enough to pick it up and encouraging their neighbors to keep it clean. It will also involve continuous clean up by residents and businesses. We want to encourage residents of all ages to get involved; by teaching our children that littering is not an acceptable practice, perhaps we can reduce the problem in the future. “
Litter creates both safety and health issues. Children playing can be cut by glass and metal that has been carelessly thrown on the ground. Rodents, insects, and other vermin are attracted to trashy areas that often hold water and contain food wastes. Additionally, littered areas are often perceived as having higher crime rates which leads to reduced property values for homeowners and reduced sales revenue for commercial businesses.
Care for your community – be a part of the solution, not the pollution. Give a couple of hours of your time on Saturday and help clean up Anguilla! Remember: Dunk It – Don’t Junk It!
