Published: April 21, 2008 11:21 am      

Still taking out the trash

Laurel Lake volunteers collect garbage throughout the day Saturday

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

As Saturday morning turned into afternoon, dark storm clouds weren’t the only thing that disappeared from the scene at Laurel Lake as volunteers took part in the annual Laurel Lake Cleanup.

At around noon, boats and road crews began bringing collected garbage back to the Spillway at the lake. Volunteers were also treated to lunch for their efforts. John Strojan, with the USDA Forest Service, has seen a positive impact from the event, but work still needs to be done.

“I wish this was an event we didn’t have to have, but litter is still a problem on the lake, and dumping is still a problem in the county,” he said. “It’s getting better. It’s not as bad as it used to be. I’ve been here 20 years and I can attest to that.”

Hundreds of volunteers who collected trash included individuals and local businesses and organizations.

“That speaks well of the efforts around here,” said Amy Allen, with the US Forest Service. “In the last 10 years or so, it’s gotten to be a big public event. If they just pick up two or three things, they’ve participated and seen what it’s all about.”

Albert Hale with the Laurel County Detention Center said work release crews were out earlier this week picking up garbage along stretches of Kentucky 192 near the lake.

However, litter was already beginning to collect again on the roadside.

“There’s still a need to change attitudes about throwing stuff out of a car window or out of a boat,” Allen said. “I think we’re getting there as a community.”

For the sixth year, Miles Miller of Paris made the approximately 100-mile trip to participate in the cleanup. Miller said he was thankful the rain held off while he collected about 20 bags of garbage.

“We’re fortunate the weather cooperated,” he said. “I’ve been to some nasty ones. They have this thing rain or shine. It’s certainly better when it’s shine.”

While the cleanup takes place annually the weekend before Earth Day, Miller said he would like to see it conducted more often.

“I wish they’d do it twice a year,” he said. “We went to places we cleaned up last year and it’s already covered up with stuff.”

Although he doesn’t reside in this area, Miller finds it important as a boater and fisherman to do his part in protecting the waterways.

“If you use the lake, you ought to help clean it up, even if it’s not your mess,” he said.

Corbin High School sophomore Madison Barton said that while she and her classmates will receive extra credit in their biology class for volunteering at the cleanup, it was not the motivating factor for their participation.

“We just want to do it for the environment and community service,” she said. “We had a lot of fun.”

PRIDE Chief Operating Officer Tammy Wilson estimated about 450 people took part in the cleanup.

“I think it was an awesome turnout,” she said. “I think it’s great to see this many volunteers give up their weekend to come out and do it every year.”

Wilson is also optimistic about how far cleanup efforts and promotion have come in the last few years, but does see the continued need for the event to combat the litter problem.

“I think education and enforcement are the keys to seeing that this event may eventually no longer be needed,” she said. “I think we have a long way to go, but it’s definitely come a long way from what it was 10 years ago. We’re making progress every day.”