Keep Middlesex Beautiful cleanups now in full swing

April 10, 2024

Team Kiwanis cleanup volunteers include, from left, Fred Gaskins, Carol Healy, Dick Goyne, Peg Jordan, Emily Davies, Ray Kostesky, Nancy Fisk, Robin Atwood, Joyce Allan and James Shackleford. (Contributed)

The Middlesex County-wide beautification event got off to a roaring start in its first full week of April, said organizer Baxter “Trip” Phillips III, who serves as chairman of Keep Middlesex Beautiful. So far, filled “Big Orange Bags” (BOBs) total 750 — all filled with roadside trash — and there are weeks to go, Phillips added.

To date, 18 teams representing more than 100 volunteers have registered to clean up more than 150 BOBs along nearly 20 miles of roadway.

Teams from all five Middlesex districts from Jamaica to Stingray Point have been part of the action. On April 6, Team Kiwanis, led by Bob Winslow, cleaned up Warner Road, collecting 27 bags. Meanwhile, down in Pinetop and Team Providence districts, led by Carol DuBois, volunteers cleaned up Providence Road and the Bland Point area, filling 12 bags and adding 2.5 miles of roadway to the tally. DuBois said, “Working as a team for the good of the community is rewarding!”

Phillips added that many volunteers mentioned in their feedback, “This is actually fun, if not amusing, to see what we find.”

Teams

Team Whiting Creek cleanup volunteers picked up the Locust Hill area. The team includes, from left, Leader Robin Matthews, Deb Bryant and Steve Matthews. (Contributed)

Team-led cleanup efforts will continue throughout April and will include:

• Water View Hunt Club’s efforts to again clean up Water View Road, Jamaica Loop and Canoe House.

• Team Old Virginia, led by Tom Maffey, will tackle Old Virginia Street on April 27.

• Tackling the roadway from Saluda to Cooks Corner is Team Chad’s Dad, led by Manager Kari Ferris.

Join in

To sign up or find out how to support this county-wide event, contact Keep Middlesex Beautiful at keepmiddlesexbeautiful@gmail.com or through its Facebook page. Keep Middlesex Beautiful, Middlesex County and Saluda’s Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Residency are all sponsoring and supporting the Great Middlesex Green Up with organization and delivery of cleanup kits consisting of safety gloves and vests, pickers and trash bags. VDOT is supporting the cleanup of filled bags once complete.