Eastern Kentucky PRIDE

Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment

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Pulaski County homeowners’ group takes charge

Garland Bend Homeowners Association, PRIDE Volunteer of the Month, Jan 2012

Members of the Garland Bend Homeowners Association accepted the PRIDE Volunteer of the Month Award. Back Row, left to right: Tammie Wilson (PRIDE), Joe Dungan (Pulaski County 109 Board), Bob Russell, Fred Wescoe, Ted Black, Carl Adams, John Maggard and Gerald Hines (Pulaski County Solid Waste Coordinator). Front Row, left to right: Rick Gross, Bill Weber, Pat Weber, Carol Black, Anne Bach, Phyliss Adams, Margaret Wescoe, Donna Turner (Pulaski County 109 Board), Karen Branscum and Ernie Bach. The following association members are not in the picture: Linda Maggard, Gary McDonald, Mary McDonald, JR Gross, LD Maggard, Norma Maggard, Danny Sanders, Mary Sanders, Don Carrothers, Mike Tully, Mary Tully and Don Feix.

The Garland Bend Homeowners Association accepted the PRIDE Volunteer of the Month Award on Dec. 20. The group has volunteered to clean the Garland Bend area of Pulaski County regularly for nearly two decades, restoring its scenic beauty.

“We thank the Garland Bend Homeowners Association for picking up roadside litter in their neighborhood every month and then organizing community cleanups every April and October,” said PRIDE’s Tammie Wilson, who presented the award. “When neighbors help neighbors like this, they can make a visible difference in their area and also build a sense of community.”

“We also thank the Pulaski County Solid Waste Department for providing the group with trash bags and picking up the trash they collect,” Wilson said. “This is a great partnership.”

“This is a hard-working group that always accomplishes what it sets out to do, and we are glad to support their efforts,” said Gerald Hines, the Pulaski County Solid Waste Coordinator and PRIDE Coordinator. He nominated the association for the PRIDE award.

The association’s spring and fall community cleanups allow the out-of-town homeowners to schedule visits to participate. During those events, association members go door to door encouraging all neighbors to clean their own properties.

In the 2011 PRIDE Spring Cleanup, the association recruited 69 volunteers who donated 145 hours to clean 15 miles of roadway. They collected 5.5 tons of trash.

“Garland Bend has been a real success story, and I think the key has been good leaders, who encouraged full community participation,” Hines said.

Henry “Hank” Hoffman led the association to begin the cleanups in the 1990s. Ted and Carol Black now spearhead the effort.

Several homeowners associations began their own cleanup campaigns after the Garland Bend group started.

“We are fortunate in Pulaski County that we have neighborhood groups doing this, and we encourage others to follow in their footsteps,” Hines said.

“If you want to start a neighborhood cleanup project, please call me at 677-0320,” Hines said.

The PRIDE Volunteer of the Month program recognizes hard work and dedication to the PRIDE initiative, which promotes environmental education and cleanup efforts in 38 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky. With corporate sponsorship from TECO Coal, WYMT-TV airs commercials about each PRIDE Volunteer of the Month.

“Volunteers are the backbone of PRIDE,” said Congressman Hal Rogers, who co-founded PRIDE. “We wouldn’t be where we are without our volunteers. More than 360,000 volunteers have helped with PRIDE cleanup and education projects. We want to thank TECO Coal for helping PRIDE give these generous people the recognition they deserve.”

“Please tell us about PRIDE volunteers who impressed you because we want to thank them,” Wilson said. “You can call our office at 677-6150 or go online to submit a nomination for the PRIDE Volunteer of the Month Award.”

Click here to submit a PRIDE Volunteer of the Month Award nomination form.

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