Pride of Kinston Newsletter

Annual Clean Up Day Attracts Volunteers

The highlight of the annual Clean Up Day in downtown Kinston April 24, 2010 was planting two trees in Pearson Park to celebrate this year’s Arbor Day April 30, 2010.

Clean Up Day participants gather around to witness the planting of a Red
Bud tree in Pearson Park as part of the annual clean up day activities. The
Red Bud and a Crepe Myrtle were donated and installed by Charles Hughes of
Wheat Swamp Landscaping company. This marks the third year that Hughes has donated trees for planting in honor of Arbor Day.

Former Kinston Mayor Buddy Ritch poses with students from Kinston Charter
Academy as the group prepares to comb downtown Kinston for trash during
Pride of Kinston's April 24, 2010 annual Clean Up Day.

Some 60 volunteers showed up at Clean Up Day headquarters in Pearson Park before striking out along downtown streets to pick up litter and trash. “Given all that was scheduled for this particular weekend, we were greatly surprised and appreciative of those who came to help,” according to Pride director Adrian King. “We thank all those who participated.”

Four-year-old Christian White, daughter of Rhancecia White, dons gloves and
safety vest to get ready to help with Pride of Kinston's April 24, 2010

Among the volunteers were youth groups from the Kinston Charter Academy, the Kinston Youth Enrichment Program and others. Pride board members Alison Merritt, Teena Williams and Frances Parrott also participated along with former Mayor Buddy Ritch and City Councilman Bobby Merritt. Mitchelltown activist Rose Clark was also among the volunteers working for a cleaner Kinston.

Pride of Kinston board members Alison Merritt (left) and Teena Williams
(right) terrorize Queen Street weeds with a lethal brew Saturday, April 24,
2010 as part of Pride's downtown Clean Up Day.

Ms. Parrott also headed a delegation which pitched in to continue landscaping projects at the historic Maplewood-Cedar Grove and Hebrew Cemeteries.

Clean Up participants Xavier Woods, Larry Burney, Jr. and Jasmine Bryant, members of the Kinston Youth Enrichment Project, stand ready to scour downtown Kinston for debris and trash during Pride of Kinston's Clean Up Day held April 24, 2010.

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