The Keep Tennessee Beautiful's DeKalb County Clean Up Campaign was a huge success according to County Mayor Mike Foster and Chamber Director Suzanne Williams. Approximately 200 people participated in this year's event.
Volunteers reported litter pick-up at various locations including Highway 56 South, Highway 56 North, the Hurricane Bridge area, Smithville Golf Course area, Memorial Gardens, Dowelltown, Alexandria, Liberty, Austin Bottoms, Belk, Keltonburg and the Smithville Public Square.
Employees at SHIROKI, North America picked up miles of litter on Highway 70. In the Four Seasons area, volunteers spruced up the children's playground area.
The dumpsters that had been placed all around the county days prior to the main event to give people a head start on the clean-up and to serve as motivators to spruce up homes and neighborhoods quickly became full to capacity.
“This was our most successful clean-up campaign ever,” said Williams. “The weather was perfect, and it was amazing to see a long line of people waiting to sign-up and help out. Beautification in our communities is especially important right now with our peak tourism season about to begin.”
Keep Tennessee Beautiful Executive Director Missy Marshall and Clean and Green Programs Coordinator Stine Moss-Cooperwood drove from Memphis to be a part of this year's event in DeKalb County. State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver also attended and helped picked up litter.
Many groups volunteered to contribute to our success, including the Boy Scout Troop #347, the sheriff’s department, "Friends of Tennessee"- Jim & Diane Loy, SHIROKI North America, the county Solid Waste Department, Church of the Latter Day Saints, Justin Potter Library employees, and  General Sessions and Juvenile Court community service workers.
"We are so grateful to everyone who came out and helped," said County Mayor Mike Foster. "The community support and willingness to work together is a reminder of how blessed we are to live here in DeKalb County."