By: Clair Tribble
Last week was a whirlwind. It was hot and incredibly busy—just the way we like it. We tackled a wide variety of tasks, and no two were the same. If the weeks ahead are as productive as the last one, we’ll be in great shape. We also have some exciting new projects in the works.
We kicked off the week with what has become an annual First Methodist Church 6th Grade Vacation Bible School Litter Cleanup! This is one of my favorite cleanups, it is part of their “Week of Service.” These kids are always enthusiastic, and ready to serve. This year, we had 20 kids working with us for about an hour. We worked along Golden Eagle Drive, and collected 4 full bags of litter. Since we were all melting, we cooled off with a milkshake from Jack’s before they headed back. It was truly a great day, and we hope it had a lasting impact on the kids.
Then came Saturday… the Household Hazardous Waste Collection. Keri Chalmers with Limestone County Recycling and I stressed and planned for everything we could think of to make this event run as smoothly as we could. With the location moving to Limestone County Recycling, we had so many unknowns this year. We made signs, strategically placed volunteers and tried to account for any anomalies as we could. It went splendidly!
When we started at 8 a.m., cars were lined up three rows deep in the lot and backed up onto Jefferson Street. Once we worked through the initial rush, it felt like it should have been time to go. It only 8:44 a.m. I checked with Lynne Hart, who was working the final traffic merge, and we serviced almost 120 cars in 44 minutes. I overheard a volunteer say they didn’t think Lowe’s even had that much paint in the store. It was insane.
Like every year, Limestone County residents proved that the Household Hazardous Waste Collection is a much-needed service in Limestone County. With this being the only way to ethically dispose of harmful chemicals in Limestone County, we collected what seems like some of everything. Which leads me to motor oil, of which we received so much. You can drop motor oil at Limestone County Recycling Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-4p.m. There is a large white tank in the center of the lot. You may leave your container beside the tank. They also accept electronics daily.
We can’t thank the 75 volunteers we’ve had over the last week enough. They made everything happen. From picking up litter to directing traffic and unloading chemicals, they did it all! The Limestone County Commission most definitely deserves a special thank you. Because of their continued partnership, we have been able to host 7 Household Hazardous Waste Collections, servicing over 1,100 residents. Chairman Daly and the commissioners continue to volunteer to work the event as well, and they deserve all our thanks… they bring the thunder!
By: Claire Tribble – Executive Director
Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful
