Established in early 2015, the Community Anti-Litter Coalition’s (CALC) goals include heightening public awareness about the litter issue in Rocky Mount.
When the city established a litter crew managed by the Public Works and Water Resources Department to address roadside litter within the city limits, the CALC sent letters to local businesses and requested they make a donation to Keep America Beautiful (KAB) of Nash & Edgecombe Counties to support the city of Rocky Mount’s litter abatement program. Donors include Swimworld, Parks Agency LLC, John Hackney Agency of Rocky Mount, Mayor David Combs, Bob’s Appliance Service, The Nicholas B. & Lucy Mayo Boddie Foundation, and Carolina Tire Company.
The department partnered with Christian Fellowship Home and Tri-County Industries to provide the labor for the crew. In addition to addressing the issue of litter, the effort provides meaningful employment for clients at these two local non-profits. Between March and December 2017, the crew invested approximately 4,600 manhours in this effort and collected 2,161 bags of litter, 149 illegal roadside signs, and 15 tires.
CALC also works to encourage the public, including churches and civic groups, to pick up the trash they find along the highways and local roads. The group also champions KAB’s annual litter cleanups, including the Great American Cleanup and the Twin Counties Big Sweep, and the Adopt-A-Street and Adopt-A-Highway programs.
For more information on the CALC’s efforts, call 252.467.4960.
Rocky Mount, North Carolina spans Nash and Edgecombe counties in eastern NC. The city website is www.rockymountnc.gov.
Source: Tameka Kenan-Norman, City of Rocky Mount
