When you enjoy the scenic drive to Cumberland Falls, you can thank 270 volunteers who picked up 700 bags of trash during the annual PRIDE Spring Cleanup at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, which was held Saturday, April 30.

The bulk of the trash was collected along Hwy. 90, but volunteers also cleaned below the falls. In addition to the bags of trash, volunteers pulled out 48 tires, a freezer, a car fender liner and a plastic wading pool.

“We want to thank the volunteers who spent their morning making a difference in their community,” said Tammie Nazario, President/CEO of PRIDE, which is one of the cleanup’s organizers. “It was a beautiful morning, and most volunteers came as groups, so it was a good opportunity to spend time with classmates, friends, coworkers or fellow church members.”

“I commend the leadership by McCreary County and Whitley County governments in recruiting volunteers and providing EMS, law enforcement and litter pickup services to support the event, as well as McCreary County Schools for providing the school bus that took volunteers to cleanup sites along Hwy. 90,” Nazario said.

“Congratulations to the groups that won awards for their outstanding volunteer efforts,” Nazario added. “We will present the Volunteer Cup trophy and plaques for largest community and school groups soon.”

Whitley County won the coveted Volunteer Cup, which goes to the county with the most volunteers participating. Whitley County was represented by 147 volunteers, McCreary County had 115 volunteers, and eight volunteers were from other counties.

The two largest community groups were from McCreary County. Pleasant Ridge United Baptist Church won 1st Place with 26 volunteers, and New Liberty Church was the 1st Runner Up with 16 volunteers.

Whitley County High School JROTC, which brought 31 volunteers, won 1st Place in the school category. With 17 volunteers, Corbin High School JROTC was the 1st Runner Up in that category.

The event was a partnership among PRIDE, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, McCreary County Fiscal Court 109 Board, Whitley County Fiscal Court, US Forest Service, McCreary County Tourism, Whitley County Tourist Commission.

The Cumberland Falls Cleanup was part of the PRIDE Spring Cleanup campaign across 42 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky, which is sponsored by Outdoor Venture Corporation and Fibrotex, USA. ###

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