TrashDayMarch2005

240 Bags!! COAL CREEK SPRING CLEANING DAY Saturday, March 19, 2005
State Senator Randy McNally has introduced a bill in the Tennessee Legislature to rename Highway 116 the Fraterville Miners Memorial Highway. In recognition of that honor, April Byrge and other Coal Creek Scholars from Anderson County High School organized a litter clean-up to give the three-mile stretch of highway from the city limits of Lake City to Briceville an extreme makeover. In addition to a hot water heater, mufflers, and parts of vehicles, 240 bags of trash were collected by over 40 volunteers. Along with community members, volunteers included members of CCWF, Clinch River Trout Unlimited, and Anderson County.	Youth of Coal Creek learning to take care of their own watershed
	“I have noticed a situation that has grown really out of hand in Briceville - litter. There is not one square foot of unpolluted ground from Anderson County High School all the way to my house. I have to look at this everyday on my way home from school. I have to say, it hurts to see a place so dear to me being destroyed by its inhabitants.” (From April Byrge, Coal Creek Scholar and Sophomore at Anderson County High School)
We think the future of the Coal Creek watershed lies in the children. Most of the volunteers on this day were children. Mothers like Kippie and Lori were there setting a good example for their children. Grandmother Faye worked alongside her grandson Kyle.
April looks over the trash gathered for the contest (including a lost bra)	After picking up the trash and litter, volunteers met back at Briceville Park for snacks. A contest was held for the most unique piece of trash collected. April Byrge had the crowd help judge the contest. A rusted out hot water heater was the winner, with a 1971 Tennessee license plate coming in a close second. $100 was awarded to the group who recovered it. See certificates of appreciation issued by Senator Randy McNally to each volunteer.
The offices of Sheriff Bill White, Road Superintendent Gary Long, and Jana Leonard from Anderson County Mayor Rex Lynch's office provided bags, gloves, signs, and patrols to control traffic during the clean-up. They even closed a section of Highway 116 in Briceville so students from Briceville Elementary and Lake City Middle Schools could help. Click on image to view more photos:	Bags collected along one section of road in Fraterville
Volunteers gather at Briceville School to kick off the day	Coal Creek youth were even heard to say, "This is fun!"
Cleaning up the roadside
Volunteers thank Anderson County deputies for keeping them safe and for modeling a toy holster belt removed with the trash
Volunteers from Anderson County jail
Several volunteers gather at Briceville Park after working all morning	Beneath all the trash, the Coal Creek watershed is as beautiful as any place on earth
Volunteers included:
Bean, Katie Bolinger, Tammy Brown, Steve Brown, Taylor Bullock, Alex Bullock, Jenna Bullock, Lori Byrge, April Byrge, Sarah Cook, Faye Golden, April Golden, Matthew Justice, Tonya Leinart, Dawn Leinart, Kippie Leinart, Kyle	Leinart, Sarah Moore, Carol Morgan, Mark Neland, Maura Phillips, D.J. Smith, Emily Phillips, Rosemary Phillips, Jacob Samples, David Sharp, Ashley Thacker, Barry Thurman, John Toyohara, Hiroshi Deputies from Anderson County Volunteers from Anderson County jail