Large Crowd Volunteers
For Downtown Clean-Up Day

An enthusiastic and cheerful band of some 80 volunteers--led by Mayor O.A. (Buddy) Ritch, City Councilman Robbie Swinson, and the new director of Kinston's Public Services Department Rhonda Barwick-- showed up Saturday May 5, 2007 to help rid downtown Kinston of unsightly litter.

The occasion was Downtown Clean Up Day jointly sponsored by Pride of Kinston and the City of Kinston's Appearance Commission. The event coincided with the statewide North Carolina Spring Clean Up.

Volunteers from local businesses, civic clubs, boys and girls scouting troops, school volunteer groups, boys and girls clubs, Lenoir Community College, and entire families--armed with maps, gloves and trash bags--swarmed all over the business district picking up trash from 10 am to 1:00 pm.

Afterwards the throng was rewarded with a barbecue lunch and street music provided by Steve Hardy Beach Music.

"It was a great day," according to Shirley Herring, chair of Pride's Design Committee. She also heads the city's Appearance Commission.
"Our aim was not only to make downtown look better," she said, "but also to raise awareness in the city." The Appearance Commission has adopted a resolution urging that the City Council enact an anit-litter ordinance. The resolution was endorsed last week by Pride's Design Committee and will be presented for action to Pride's full board of directors later in the month. (See text of resolution.)

"We were especially gratified to see so many young people participating," according to Adrian King, director of Pride. "This bodes well for a new generation of concerned citizens, concerned about how our town looks," he said.

Individuals and groups represented in the May 5 Downtown Clean Up included the Sampson site of the Lenoir County Structured Day Program, Rochelle Middle School, the Boys and Girls Club, Cub Scout Pack 41, Girl Scout Troop 600, the Elks Lodge 740, Boy Scout Troop 41, Parrott Academy's SERV program, Lenoir Community College, City of Kinston, Appearance Commission, Fairway Outdoor Advertising, Seay Financial Group, Prestige Tax Service, Mitchelltown Preservation Society, the James Perry family, Bill Tsao and Pride of Kinston.