The Earth and our environment are our big focus this month. If you care at all about the world around you — and I certainly hope you do — consider getting involved in the next several weeks with a Keep Liberty Beautiful project.
I always hesitate to call a project a Keep Liberty Beautiful project because, quite frankly, all of our projects are dependent on the involvement of community partners and volunteers. Each year, more than 150 community partners sponsor or assist with so many projects, including community cleanups around the county, waterway cleanups in more than 40 locations, school-campus cleanups, a beach cleanup, our annual Earth Day Celebration, community gardens, quarterly Adopt Liberty projects, tree and native-plant plantings, and a host of recycling programs in schools and around the community — just to name the main ones.
So, in the next month, we have a wealth of partners implementing a variety of spring events that have a positive effect on our environment. As many partners as we have, we still need you involved. This is a large county and it is our home, after all, so consider taking part. Think of it like having chores at home. We all should take on chores to help care for our community.
I can’t say enough about the Great American Cleanup Days because I believe that having more volunteers will mean less litter on our roadways. The litter disappears and decreases thanks to the hardworking volunteers and the powerful statement they send to other citizens that we don’t approve of litter and those who cause it.
Recently, the American Red Cross’ Red Club held two cigarette-litter scans on Veterans Parkway. At the first, they collected 10,000 cigarette butts. Yes, you read that right — 10,000 in less than a 2-mile area. They also held an information and pocket ashtray giveaway at a nearby service station to inform potential cigarette-butt litterers about this problem.
They had another scan a few weeks later and collected about 7,000 butts in the same area. Yes, 7,000 is still a lot, but it is a significantly less than 10,000. Volunteer efforts can make a major impact on a problem like this.
Our municipal cleanup dates are listed below, and every week we also have other cleanups on group-adopted roads, school campuses and neighborhoods. There are many opportunities for you to make a difference with an event that will fit into your schedule.
Municipal cleanup days in April
• April 20: City of Hinesville Cleanup Day
• April 27: City of Walthourville Cleanup Day
• April 27: City of Flemington Cleanup Day
• April 27: City of Riceboro Cleanup Day

Just call Keep Liberty Beautiful and we’ll provide the details.
Our seventh annual Earth Day Celebration runs from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, April 22, at the YMCA. This is definitely not just a KLB effort. Each year, more than 200 volunteers and sponsors make this incredibly fun educational event happen on a shoestring budget.
We refer to this event, which is our largest single education event of the year, as undercover environmental education disguised as fun. In three hours, a host of families and kids will “learn” about water conservation, stormwater pollution, litter prevention, recycling, waste reduction, gardening and energy conservation through a series of games, crafts, exhibits, music and other activities. It is a great event because more than 60 businesses, churches and organizations run these activities using our “booth in a box” resources to make these learning activities happen.
These incredible volunteers and our overall sponsors — Liberty County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Georgia Power Company, Coastal Electric Cooperative, Canoochee Electric Cooperative, Liberty County Solid Waste and the cities of Hinesville, Flemington, Allenhurst and Walthourville — make this event a reality.
And don’t forget our ongoing “Think 30 Community Garden Campaign.” I know that there is a potential garden project that is perfect for you and your group. Contact us today and get started.
You have just one more week to get your nomination in for the quarterly Win-dex Awards. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Win-dex Awards recognition program with Keep Liberty Beautiful to recognize businesses in the community who make that extra effort to keep their businesses attractive and inviting. We need your help in giving these local businesses the recognition each quarter that they deserve. Nomination forms are available at the Keep Liberty Beautiful office or at the local Liberty County Chamber of Commerce. Call KLB at 880-4888 or email klcb@coastalnow.net. Call the chamber at 368-4445. The deadline for this quarter’s nominations is March 31.

KLB activities that need you:
• Volunteer for an upcoming municipal cleanup or plan your own.
• Win-dex Award nominations for our area’s attractive businesses are due March 31.
• Volunteer for the seventh annual Earth Day Celebration.
To volunteer or get involved in any of these events, call Keep Liberty Beautiful at 880-4888 or email klcb@coastalnow.net