Saturday, March 31, 2007

Great American Cleanup 2007 Wrap-up

Keep Carrollton Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup was a smashing success – counting only the reported events, Adopt-A-Spot, HOA and school cleanups – they collected almost 16,000 pounds of trash and debris and recycled 4,100 pounds of newspaper and drink containers! During the Great American Cleanup, 1013 volunteers spent 4669 hours cleaning Carrollton – volunteers really make a difference!

More than 500 participants at Kent Elementary’s Earth Day celebration stated the roll. Their PTA and Keep Carrollton Beautiful won State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Award grant to fund planting 600 flowers and a tree. Keep Carrollton Beautiful gave their contest winners t-shirts and prizes for their efforts.

The Great American Cleanup event netted 4000 pounds of litter and debris collected by 250 volunteers. The volunteers all received praise, t-shirts and lunch. A good morning spent working in the community for a great cause!

Adopt-A-Spot, Home Owners’ Associations and other schools held cleanups as well. Kent Elementary even had a Multi-Cultural Night to learn about different cultures, geography and environmental issues affecting other countries.

Intuit Inc. and Exponent HR brought Keep Carrollton Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup to a dramatic close by collecting 1600 gushy pounds of trash out of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and surrounding McInnish Park. Intuit’s “We Care and Give Back” team have been partnering with Keep Carrollton Beautiful to clean the river for four years now. “These guys are so enthusiastic, we love helping them. And they spent 238 hours helping Carrollton. We really appreciate them,” said Sharon Goddard, founder of Keep Carrollton Beautiful.