- February 5, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
#KeepOurCityPretty.
It's a new anti-litter hashtag that's been generated from the city of Port Orange in an effort to help residents be mindful and take that extra step to keep the community, and the surrounding environment, clean.
That mindset was evident on Saturday, June 9, as about 40 people gathered at Buschman Park before heading out to different locations to pick up trash and anything that could be recycled. The community roadside cleanup effort was a collaboration between the city and non-profit Volusia County Volunteers.
At 9 a.m. participants got in their vehicles, some in groups, some on their own, to search the area and bring back what they had found to be brought to two dumpsters, one for trash, the other for recyclables.
"We're hoping that ... we'll have more people jumping on board with 'keep our city pretty' and make an influence even further than Port Orange and that it will cross lines and help spread the love all over the county," Volusia County Volunteers Co-Founder Alyssa Parnell said.
Port Orange Public Information Officer Christine Martindale said that the day was about more than simply cleaning up the city; it was about educating the public on why this initiative was started and how residents can help in the future.
"The importance of today was to promote our city's initiative and was something important ... for residents to take pride in where they live and where they work," Martindale said. "But it doesn't stop there."
At 11 a.m., there were more than a few large plastic trash bags filled with trash sitting in a pile. There were couches, a shopping cart, a large mirror and an assortment of other intact and broken items that had been left on the ground.
The group that had brought in the two couches, plus even more trash, won the day's "Most Weight Collected" prize. A "Most Unique Find" award was presented to the group that brought in the shopping cart, and "Most Recyclables" went to the group that had about 11 to 15 pounds of recyclable items collected.
And while it had been a rewarding two hours, organizers aren't planning to stop there.
"I'm just looking forward to more people coming out for the next one and more connections being made each time," Volusia County Volunteers Founder Kristine Bruckart said. "In the community, we'd like to improve people's attitudes on how they treat where they live and their environment. We hope that makes a positive impact all around."
