Preserving the Mountain in Me 5k

Extreme Home Cleanup & Medication Collection Event

Hundreds Help Clean Up

By Ben Lawson

An estimated 400 volunteers turned out for the semi-annual Keep Sevier Beautiful Roads and Rivers Day on March 26.

As part of the non-profit organization’s spring cleanup event, volunteers of all ages were given maps, trash bags, and equipment at eight different registration sites including the Sevierville Primary School and First Baptist Church in Seymour.

Elizabeth Reed, Keep Sevier Beautiful Executive Director, indicated that the total number of volunteers is still being calculated.  But whatever the final count, she said the community support was wonderful.

“This was by far our best event yet,” she said.

Nearly half of these volunteers registered at Sevierville Primary School, where they had help from some special guests: “No More Litter Llamas,” courtesy of Smoky Mountain Llama Treks, who assisted in the cleanup by transporting some of the collected litter.

Every participant was given a free ticket to the Tennessee Smokies “Keep Sevier Beautiful Night.”  Organizers hope the great support will inspire more people turn out for future cleanup events.

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Llamas Against Litter: Animals & Children Turn Out on KSB Roads and Rivers Day

By RACHEL OSBORN

Staff Writer

SEVIERVILLE — Volunteers were out in full force on Saturday morning for the semi-annual Keep Sevier Beautiful Roads and Rivers Day clean-up day.

Many of these volunteers were at Sevierville Primary. “This is one of our bigger sites,” says Elizabeth Reed, director of the event.

By 9 a.m., about 30 volunteers, made up of children, parents and even whole families had lined up. A few babies, born in the last two weeks, even made a brief appearance.

While waiting for the arrival of the “no more litter llamas” everyone signed in, filled out forms and picked up their supplies — orange trash grabbers and green safety vests.

Because this site hosted smaller children, their goal was to pick up trash around the school and on Blanton Drive, the road it’s located off of.

The kids were dressed warmly and extremely excited. Reed was too. “I can’t wait for the llamas to get here,” she says. The event was a good learning experience for the children. “It gives people a chance to give back to the community,” says Reed.

This year, the event had some newcomers, two Girl Scout troops. Troop 28011, the Cadet troop, and the Daisy Brownie Troop, 20063 volunteered their time. “It’s our first year doing it,” says Troop Leader Cynthia Higareda.

The girls are working on getting one of their petals, the Friendly and Helpful Petal. To receive the coveted patch, the girls must do friendly and helpful things at home, explains Higareda. Examples of this would be helping with younger siblings, doing the dishes or folding laundry. “They have to do a community service event too,” says Higareda. “We chose this.”

By picking up trash around and in front of the school, Higareda hopes to teach the girls something. “I hope they learn to keep Sevier County beautiful, to respect nature and the city and town that they live in,” she says. “I hope they learn to do service for their community.” And that simply is the point of the whole event.

The Time it Takes Litter to Decompose