Eastern Kentucky PRIDE

Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment

Visit Us on Facebook Visit Us on Flickr Visit Us on YouTube

Highway 27 Clean Sweep sees big volunteer turnout

Representatives of Blackboard Student Services accepted the plaque for Greatest Volunteer Participation by a Community Group. The plaque was presented by PRIDE President/CEO Tammie Wilson (right).

Despite cloudy skies and scattered rain showers, volunteers came out in force to participate in the ninth annual Highway 27 Clean Sweep Spring Cleanup event. More than 1,000 volunteers participated in the cleanup, which ran along Highway 27 and other surrounding roads in Somerset and Burnside. This year’s event took place Thursday, April 27 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Almost all the volunteers joined the Clean Sweep as part of a group, such as a business or school. In all, 87 volunteer groups participated. That number is up from 65 groups participating in 2016.  In total 631 bags of trash we picked up in the Somerset area.

“This year we had the largest number of participating businesses in the history of our event,” said Bobby Clue, Somerset-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “It’s always great to see our business community get involved in helping to beautify our local roadways.”

On behalf of the Kentucky Department of Transportation District 8, Amanda Hale accepted the plaque for Greatest Volunteer Participation by a Community Group – Runner Up. The plaque was presented by PRIDE President/CEO Tammie Wilson and Bill Turpen, who serves on the PRIDE Board of Directors.

“Having more than 1,000 volunteers out and picking up trash along Highway 27 in Somerset is a really big accomplishment,” said Tammie Wilson of PRIDE, one of the event sponsors. “It shows a great commitment to the community and pride from the people who live and work here. Seeing how this event has grown is very rewarding.”

The Clean Sweep results were announced at the June meeting of the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber sponsored the Clean Sweep in partnership with PRIDE, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset-Pulaski County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pulaski County Recycling Center, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 8, Waste Connections of Kentucky, South Kentucky RECC and Pine Knot Job Corps.

Southwestern High School’s JROTC won the plaque for Greatest Volunteer Participation by a School Group – Runner Up. The plaque was presented by PRIDE President/CEO Tammie Wilson and Bill Turpen, who serves on the PRIDE Board of Directors.

Clue and Wilson presented awards to the business and school groups that recruited the most volunteers. The award winners were:

  • Blackboard Student Services, 1st Place Community Group, 56 volunteers.
  • Kentucky Department of Transportation, Runner-up Community Group, 46 volunteers.
  • Southern Middle School, 1st Place School, 179 volunteers.
  • Southwestern High School JROTC, Runner-up School, 65 volunteers.

Highway 27 Clean Sweep takes place each April as part of PRIDE’s Spring Cleanup Month. It is one of hundreds of events that happen across PRIDE’s 42 county service area in an effort to prepare for the tourism season and help protect the natural beauty of the area.

PRIDE would like to thank this year’s Spring Cleanup sponsors; Walmart, Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, The Tennessee Valley Authority, Kentucky Utilities, and Kentucky American Water. Their generous donations help make Spring Cleanup events across the region possible.

###

Comments are closed.

Find Us On Facebook

Join Our Mailing List!

* indicates required

Upcoming Events

No Upcoming Events