Commission provides items to help citizens ‘˜Pick Up Pike’

Members of the Pike County commissioners office, Pike County schools and Pick Up Pike are all working together to encourage citizens to clean up trash along the county’s roads. At the March 31 commissioners meeting, board members voted unanimously to spend $1,366 from the contingency fund to pay for items to pick up litter as well as reflective vests to wear and a sign indicating a trash pickup is underway. ’I came to say thank you for all your help, the roads in the county are looking much better and it’s nice that picking up litter is a point of pride and shows our community’s love for the environment,’ said master gardener Anna Evans and organizer of Pick Up Pike. ‘We have been encouraging other areas to join us as well. The Concord Garden Club will hold the annual Lunch and Learn on Thursday, April 16 and the focus will be about repurposing and reusing items rather than having them wind up in the landfill.’County manager Hanson said bags, vests and the Litter Pick Up signs can be signed out by citizens who are expected to bring them back later the same day. ’The sign and vests will provide some safety for them while they are out there picking up litter,’ he said. ‘There has been a lot of progress and we have seen a lot of areas where the trash has been picked up. It’s good to see that happening in the community.’Citizens may follow the Pick Up Pike group through their site on facebook or contact county clerk Jo Ann Wrye who is the coordinator for the county’s litter pick up campaign. ’If you have an organized group picking up litter in a particular area please let me know so I can mark that area on our map and to let anyone know that may be looking for a group to join,’ she said. ‘We have garbage bags and gloves you can come by the Courthouse Annex to pick up to use as well as vests and signs that you can sign out for you to use the day you are picking up litter. Thank you all for what you have done, it really looks great.’Assistant PCHS principal James Stanford is the organizer for various school groups’ efforts to pick up trash in Pike. He can be reached at 770-567-8770.’I’d like to commend PUP for the job they are doing,’ said commissioner Tim Daniel. ‘Citizens can follow on facebook and it’s amazing how many people get involved because of a site like this. We should all pick up litter to keep Pike clean.’