Finding Solutions: Clean Up Aiken removing litter when it’s needed most
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - If you were driving along Sudlow Lake Road on Thursday morning, you may have noticed a large group of volunteers out picking up trash.
This is nothing new, it’s part of an initiative the non-profit Clean Up Aiken started three years ago.
They’re finding solutions in coming together to remove litter at a time when it’s needed the most.
It’s been nearly six months since Hurricane Helene tore through the CSRA, and while crews are still working to pick up debris, volunteers are too.
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“From September until about two weeks ago, we could not go out and clean up because the roads were not in good shape and SCDOT who is a partner in picking up the bags could not do it because they had naturally other priorities,” said Kic Young, co-director of Clean Up Aiken. “With the Masters coming in and the need to catch up this is many that we are doing. We have four in the next four weeks.”
Clean Up Aiken teamed up with SRP Federal Credit Union and the Augusta Greenjackets to clean up a long stretch of Sudow Lake Road in Graniteville down to Ascauga Lake Road.
“Following Helene after everything that happened, we did a lot at the stadium to try and do our part and now we can come out in the community and see improvements firsthand,” said Caoilinn Gallagher, marketing coordinator for the Augusta Greenjackets. “This area was devastated beyond belief so anything we can do to help out we are happy to do.”
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The Columbia County Foundation for Children is a local non-profit organization that has been around for more than 30 years.
And with more clean-up days already scheduled, they need your help.
“It affects all of us, property values, we have a lot of visitors,” said Young. “This is a high gross state right now so we have a lot of people moving here and people looking at South Carolina to live so we want to have a good impression.”
There were about 30 volunteers who picked up 94 bags of litter on Thursday.
You can be a part of the next clean-up event on March 29 at 8:30 a.m. The location will be announced soon.
You can sign up to volunteer and learn more about Clean Up Aiken on their website.
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