On Tuesday, April 17, volunteers are invited to pick up roadside litter during the 10th annual PRIDE Clean Sweep of US 27.

Volunteers can pick up litter any time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. At Noon, all volunteers are invited to The Center for Rural Development for a free cook-out and drawing for door prizes. Free T-shirts also will be given to volunteers, while supplies last.

More than 1,000 volunteers participated in the 2017 Clean Sweep by picking up trash along US 27 and other roads in Somerset and Burnside. Almost all volunteers joined the cleanup as part of a group, such as a business or school. A total of 87 volunteer groups participated.

“2018 is a big year for PRIDE and the Clean Sweep, and we want to invite all Pulaski County residents to help us celebrate,” said PRIDE’s Tammie Wilson.

“This will be the 20th anniversary of the PRIDE Spring Cleanup, which is a region-wide cleanup campaign across 42 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky,” she explained. “Since the first Spring Cleanup in 1998, 433,460 people have volunteered with PRIDE. That is an amazing number, but our region always needs one more volunteer: you!”

“In Pulaski County, volunteers have another reason to celebrate, because this will be the 10th annual US 27 Clean Sweep,” she added. “The Clean Sweep has become the largest Spring Cleanup event in the region. It’s very rewarding to see so many people of all ages work together on a community service project.”

Danny Masten, Pulaski County Solid Waste Coordinator, is organizing the volunteers for the Clean Sweep.

“We want to build on our great track record from past Clean Sweeps and continue to expand into new areas,” Masten said. “The focus is US 27 in Somerset and Burnside, but we steadily have been taking in other areas each year, such as 914, Hail Knob Road and Grand Central Avenue.”

“We’re reaching out to new partners to clean new locations in 2018,” he said. “For example, I would like to bring on board Ferguson volunteers to target their city streets.”

“Burnside has participated in the Clean Sweep for years, and is expanding its reach in 2018,” he said. “The city’s tourism director, Farrah Dobbs, is heading that up. Burnside residents who want to volunteer should contact her.”

“I invite any group who wants to clean an area to call me at 677-0320,” Masten said.

“For groups with children, we will work with you to clean safe, age-appropriate areas,” he added.

Volunteer groups are encouraged to register before April 17. By doing so, they can reserve the section of US 27 they want to clean and receive their trash bags, gloves and safety vests early.

Volunteers also may register and receive their cleanup supplies on April 17. Day-of registration will begin at 8 a.m. at The Center for Rural Development, which is located at Traffic Light #15.

To register, please call the Pulaski County Recycling and Solid Waste Center at 677-0320.

The annual Clean Sweep of US 27 is sponsored by PRIDE, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, Somerset-Pulaski County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pulaski County Recycling Center, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 8, and Waste Connections of Kentucky.

The Clean Sweep is part of the PRIDE Spring Cleanup campaign across 42 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky. The region-wide PRIDE Spring Cleanup is sponsored by Walmart, Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Outdoor Venture Corp., and Kentucky American Water.

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