Our Athens Mayor is very anti-litter and pro-recycling. He not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk. You may drive past Mayor Marks as he’s picking up litter on the side of a road or as he’s adding his personal recycling to the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center’s community drop-off bins. If you ever engage him in a conversation about litter, it will become very clear very quickly that this is a topic that gets him hot under the collar.
Some litter is truly accidental, but so much of it is intentional or due to careless handling. We at KALB, along with Mayor Marks, do not understand the mindset of people who would trash a place they call home. Mayor Marks is asking local individuals and organizations to step up and join his initiative to make living in Athens a litter-free event by participating in KALB’s Adopt-A-Spot program.
“Adopt-A-Spot is needed to keep the thoroughfares of our city beautiful not only for our citizens, but for visitors who are getting their first impression of Athens,” Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “When you drive by areas of litter, it gives the impression of a city that does not care. That is not the image we want portrayed of Athens.”
Here’s How It Works
KALB’s Adopt-A-Spot program allows groups and individuals to adopt certain locations in the City of Athens to pick up on a monthly basis. Adopting a location in Athens can be rewarding in more than one way. Volunteers are rewarded with a sense of community pride and a local organization can benefit financially!
Each quarter, after three cleanups, a local organization of the group’s or individual’s choosing will receive a financial reward. The money used for these rewards was provided to KALB for this specific purpose.
Boy Scout Troop #24 has adopted Lucas Ferry Road from Elm to Hwy 72 for several years. After every third cleanup (no more than quarterly), their scout troop receives a check. Mr. Barry Phillips has adopted two spots in Athens. Because individuals cannot receive the cash reward, he has designated two organizations to benefit from his efforts — The Athens-Limestone Public Library and KALB.
KALB will provide groups with safety vests, litter grabbers, and trash bags to use during cleanups. Groups must report their activities which can be done easily online. KALB tracks the activity and sends out checks once the specified cleanups are complete and reports received.
Challenge to City Council
KALB challenges each member of City Council to pick a location in your district that is in dire need of being adopted and share that with KALB. We further challenge council members to help find a group, organization, or individual willing to commit to KALB’s Adopt-A-Spot program by adopting your chosen area.
Challenge to the Community
KALB and Mayor Marks also challenge the community to step up and say yes if you are approached. Better yet, just contact your City Councilman or call KALB directly and let us know you are interested in being part of the Mayor’s initiative to decrease litter in Athens.
One-Time Cleanup Efforts Help Too
If your family, club, or other group can’t adopt an area, we also support individual cleanups by providing safety vests, litter grabbers, and trash bags. Just give us a call and we’ll get a cleanup kit ready for you.
Interested in a Neighborhood Cleanup?
We would love to see neighbors come together in an effort to spruce up your neighborhoods. Pick up litter, trim shrubs, plant trees (ask Athens Utilities for a Vegetation Management Program – Policies and Procedures to help you select the right tree or shrub and the best location), encourage recycling, etc. Call KALB and we’ll help you get your plans started.
Don’t wait for someone else to do what needs to be done. That someone else is YOU.
By: Lynne Hart
