 When tourists travel to southern and eastern Kentucky in October to enjoy fall foliage at its peak, they also will see the region’s civic pride at its best. Volunteers will be picking up trash along roadways, helping their city or county to win a trophy and cash award in the annual Roadside PRIDE competition. The month-long campaign is sponsored by Eastern Kentucky PRIDE and the Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association (SEKTDA).
“Roadside PRIDE is our chance to team up and do something about roadside litter,” said Congressman Hal Rogers, who founded PRIDE and SEKTDA. “Local governments will schedule cleanup events, volunteers will pick up the trash, and PRIDE will take care of disposal fees. If we all do our part, then we will see a big difference in the appearance of our roads
by the end of October.”
“At sporting events, most of us cheer from the sidelines, but in the Roadside PRIDE competition, anyone who can volunteer can help the home team bring home a trophy,” said Richard Thomas, PRIDE executive director.
“The best part of this competition is that everyone wins,” added Vicki Kidd, executive director of SEKTDA. “Even if your town doesn’t win a trophy, you will enjoy cleaner roads.”
The Roadside PRIDE program uses friendly competition among the region’s communities to clean up roadside litter. Cities and counties compete to recruit the most volunteers and collect the most trash in the month of October. Cities and counties are divided into classes, based on population. Rogers will present trophies to the winning cities and counties at the annual meeting of the PRIDE Board of Directors in January.
Rogers also will present $1,000 cash awards to the city and county that clean the most road miles within a scenic byway. The cash awards are sponsored by SEKTDA.
PRIDE will pay to dispose of the trash collected in all communities, up to $2,500 for counties and $1,000 for cities. PRIDE also will provide cleanup supplies, such as trash bags and safety vests.
To learn more about Roadside PRIDE, including volunteer opportunities in your community, visit www.kypride.org/cal/roadside.php.
For more information about enjoying the region’s fall foliage, call 511 or visit www.tourseky.com.
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