With the assistance of Troy Jambers, representing the Three Rivers High School National Honor Society they collected ten large bags of litter. They also had an opportunity to recycle some materials found along the highway. Lucky Troy also found a ten dollar bill!
This is the largest one day cleanup event in the state. It serves as Texas’ signature event for the Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program. The Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off is part of TxDOT’s Litter Prevention program, which includes don’t Mess with Texas, Adopt-a-Highway, and Keep Texas Beautiful.
“Did you know that the first highway ever adopted was in Texas?” In 1984 James R. “Bobby” Evans, an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Tyler District, was driving through Tyler when he observed debris blowing out of the bed of the pickup truck he was following. Alarmed and concerned that the cost of picking up litter was increasing, Evans appealed to local groups to “adopt” a section of highway.
Billy Black, public information officer for TxDOT’s Tyler’s District, became involved soon after that in developing the Adopt-a-Highway program. He was responsible for creating a quarterly cleanup cycle for adopting organizations and for implementing the initial concept. This includes furnishing volunteer safety training, reflective vests and equipment and for erecting the well-known Adopt-a-Highway roadside signs.
This is the reason that the Three Rivers Garden Club has proudly chosen this as one of their many volunteer projects. Cleaning trash on a two-mile stretch of Highway 281 helps the city, county and state of Texas be cleaner and more beautiful! Please contact vangiealaniz@yahoo.com or TxDOT if you have any questions or comments.
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