Hinesville resident Mina Hairston Martin said she’s one of those people who is always picking up trash when she’s out taking a walk.
Saturday, Martin, who formed a “mother-daughter team” with her daughter Tiara, had a whole lot of help.
More than 182 volunteers covered 32 miles and picked up 2,572 pounds of litter and debris as part of Keep Liberty Beautiful’s 2017 Great American Spring Cleanup. So far this year, 738 volunteers from more than 100 groups have cleaned up 126 miles of roads and green space across Liberty County while picking up more than 10,714 pounds of litter and debris.
Those pitching in to help out belonged to civic groups, clubs, churches, community organizations and local governments, according to KLB Director Sara Swida, who praised volunteers.
“I am always so impressed by the community spirit that so many local citizens have for our home here,” she said. “We are honored to work with all of these enthusiastic volunteers.”
Martin said this was her first time participating in the KLB cleanup, “and I love what is going on down here.”
Hinesville council woman Vicky Nelson also took part, along with council woman Diana Reid. Nelson said she was helping because of her love of green spaces and lessons her father taught her about taking care of the environment.
“He was in the military, and he taught me as a young child that if there’s a sidewalk, you don’t even walk on the grass,” Nelson said. “To this day I will not walk on grass if there’s a sidewalk and my children do the exact same thing. It’s the same thing with litter. He taught me you do not litter. When you’re through with trash, if you don’t have a place to throw it away, put it all in a bag and wait until you can put it in a trash can.”
Nelson said it’s a lesson still relevant today.
“I think if we as a people teach our youth coming up those same lessons, we wouldn’t have this problem with litter. But children learn by example,” she said. “If parents are throwing trash out of the window, then children are going to throw trash out of the window, and they’re going to become teenagers and adults who throw trash out of the window, and there’s your problem.”