Volunteers report hundreds of bags collected during Keep Alleghany Litter Free spring pickup

Susan Miles, a volunteer leader of the county'wide cleanup effort Keep Alleghany Litter Free, told the Alleghany County Board of Commissioners during public comment that volunteers collected 73 bags during the first week of the spring pickup and 81 bags the second week.

"This year, the first week, we had 73 bags of trash collected. The second week, there were 81 bags of trash," Miles said. She described the program as a twice'a'year effort, with a spring event before Easter and a fall event before the Heritage Festival, and said supplies are staged at the Miles Realty office.

Miles said the county coordinates with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on roadside pickups where traffic conditions make volunteer work unsafe. "They do not want us to pick up 18 and 21 except for where it's really wide areas because it's just not as safe with the traffic," she said, adding that DOT crews pick up larger roadside accumulations and verify volunteer submissions.

The Tourism Development Authority donates $10 per bag to the Solid Rock food closet for bags the program turns in, Miles said, which provides a fundraising benefit in addition to removing litter.

The commissioners and staff acknowledged the volunteer effort during the meeting. Commissioner Garrison Wagner and others praised the program and encouraged landowners and residents to take part in local cleanups.

The public comment also included examples of volunteer participation across ages: Miles recounted a 5'year'old who returned this year to pick up trash at Crouse Park and Veterans Park after participating previously.

The cleanup program is ongoing; Miles asked residents to pick up supplies at her office and to participate when they can.