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Many supporters of Pick UP Pike (PUP) met at the Oink Joint this past week. Photo courtesy of Michael Cox.
PUP removed 45 tires from Pilkenton Rd. and Hwy. 18. Picture courtesy of Michael Cox.
ZEBULON - Pick Up Pike held a Meet & Greet on Thursday afternoon in the Oink Joint in Zebulon. Walker Chandler presented the new tee shirts and announced that only a few were made up so that individuals or groups could buy in any colors they want for $10 ($12 fo XXL) at Signs and Designs on Highway 19 South in Zebulon (across from old Giant Mart in Zebulon).
PUP bumper stickers have also been made up and will be available at all Pike County banks, the Commissioners' office, and each City Hall as well as at Novel Experience! A $1 donation is requested.
The group was also told that the County Commission office is giving out orange trash bags, has vests that it will lend out, has arranged a waiver of roadside litter pickup fees at the transfer station, and has asked Commission Clerk Joanne Wrye to coordinate all governmental assistance and needs map coordination. A route map of the Tour de Pike is posted online at Kiwanis Club of Pike County.
Other news is that the School Board has designated Assistant Principal James Stanford of the Pike County Highschool to be the go-to guy for the School Board. Elaine Herndon-Lewis is going to be the PUP treasurer, and Michael Cox will be the Kiwanis Club coordinator.
The group is seeking a Religious Organizations coordinator in hopes that the messages of cleanliness and the Golden Rule as it applies to the problem of litter will be preached in all Pike County churches.
140 lbs of trash in 1/4 of a mile on Hwy. 109 West. Photo courtesy of the Hansons.
This photo courtesy of Doug Lacy.
These photos courtesy of Doug Lacy.
This photo courtesy of Doug Lacy.
By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - Trash is a hot topic around town these days. Drive in Pike County and pay attention to the mess that you see along the side of the road from inconsiderate people who throw out everything from energy drinks, soft drinks and beer cans to empty cigarette cartons, emtpy fast food items, and cigarette butts. And that is just on the county and state roads!
Go down a deserted dirt road and you'll find tires, couches, asphalt shingles, and bags of trash along with the lengthy list of items above. What does it take to get people to realize that just because something is out of their sight doesn't mean that it's out of everyone's mind... because someone has to pick up the trash that gets thrown out of a vehicle window... or dumped along a deserted dirt road because someone doesn't make the effort to take it the county dump.
What would curb that kind of behavior? A ticket? Embarrassment when that inconsiderate streak is made public? What? It shouldn't have to be like that. People ought to throw their junk in a plastic bag from one of our local stores and throw it away at the earliest opportunity, but some people don't think about the consequences of their actions until it's too late.
Let's work to be proactive and clean up our roadsides in preparation for the Kiwanis of Pike Tour de Pike on March 21st, and let's clean up the roadways overall so we can enjoy the beauty of our county instead of seeing the trash that has been thrown from the vehicles of inconsiderate people. Click here to view a copy of the map for the 18th Annual Tour de Pike.
Instead of pointing fingers and blaming people, Pick Up Pike has put out the word that they are helping to organize clean ups around our community again this year and encouraging others to do the same. Click here to join Pick Up Pike (PUP) on Facebook. You can also read about PUP efforts to clean our roads last year by clicking here.
How Can You Help Out?
For those wanting to help volunteer with trash pickup in Pike County this weekend, here is a list of the routes that I have so far. Items needed when you show up to help out: bring some trash bags--those big industrial ones are great but some tough kitchen trash bags will do too, bring some gloves, wear bright clothing or wear a safety vest if you have one, and bring some caution and common sense because people are not always cautious driving along our roadways.
Matthew Wood, will be at the Pavilion in Concord (nearest to the Strickland Building) on Saturday, March 7th, from 9:30-10:15 am and again from 11:45 am to 12:30 pm to hand out trash bags and safety vests to anyone wanting to help with the pickup this weekend. If you pick up between Concord and Molena on Hwy. 18, you can tie off your bags and leave them along the road for retrieval later that day or bring them back to Concord around noon where there will be a trailer for this purpose.
Trisha Dabbs will be out on Hwy 18 between Reidsboro and Bottoms Roads from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Michael Cox is working from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on McCrary Rd. in Molena between Dunn Street and Pilkenton Road.
Walker Chandler will be going to Concord at Noon on Saturday and starting to go South along Highway 18's northern side for two hours. He will be out there rain or shine.
And Hollonville's Fire Station 2 volunteers will be working 362 from Hollonville Rd towards Alvation on Saturday starting at noon.
Other Things to Know
If you are organizing a pick up in your area, please hit me up on Facebook.
If you go out on Saturday (or any other time!), please snap a picture of your group helping out our community and email it to editor@pikecountytimes.com so the community can see your volunteer work and be encouraged to do the same. It's also a way for volunteers to get the thank you that you deserve for helping out with our trash problem!
It is going to take a group effort to get things cleaned up in our county and educate people to stop being stupid with their trash. Look below for some pictures from a lonely little county road...
This is a beautiful dirt road in north Pike County...
where people have dumped a couch...
carpet and another couch...
a pool liner...
trash including an old television...
and tires, asphalt shingles, and trash all in and around this creek.