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Guard unit, fellowship honored for cleanup campaigns

By the very nature of their service, Idaho’s citizen soldiers invest in the well being of their communities. Guardsmen in Blackfoot have taken that commitment to community a step further by adopting a state highway and cleaning it of unsightly trash.

The Guard unit adopted the segment of U.S. 91 between mileposts 102 and 104 nearly 15 years ago. Since joining Idaho’s Adopt-A-Highway program, Guard members have conducted 16 litter campaigns and collected almost 18,000 pounds of trash.

For that dedication, ITD’s District 5 volunteer coordinator Sharon Short selected the Guard unit for one of two Adopt-A-Highway Group of the Year awards. Guard representatives received a framed certificate and a clock fashioned from a sample Idaho license plate at the Idaho Transportation Board meeting Thursday in Pocatello.

“When I did the application form I knew we would all be proud to have a little bit of Idaho highway identified as the local Guard’s,” explained one of the group’s organizers. “We do not make our soldiers participate in the effort. It is and always will be volunteer effort. We have never had a problem getting volunteers.”

“In years past I usually had a cooler with water and Gatorade for all the volunteers while on the clean-up. Once done, we would have a pizza party or root beer floats. This always made it a fun time and made it easy to get volunteers for next time.”

The tradition continues under the encouragement and direction of Sgt. First Class Breshears.

Highway cleanups have produced some interesting finds over the years, such as a bag of dirty diapers (well cooked by the sun), a bookcase with its library of books scattered along the roadside, a bag of “adult” books and novelties.

“Good thing we were wearing gloves.

“While on the clean-up we would always have people honking, waving and even yelling out ‘thank you!’ or ‘Go Guard.’ This was always a good motivator and helped make it fun when the local people recognized us.

“This has been a good project for the local unit on a piece of the old Highway. I hope the unit continues the effort after I retire.”

Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
District 5 also presented Adopt-A-Highway honors to a group from the Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, which has cleaned a section of Interstate 15 since 1999. The organization cleans between mileposts 45 and 47 near the McCammon Interchange (Exit 47).

The group goes the extra mile by cleaning the interchange area north of milepost 47 to the U.S. 30 overpass. It cleans the segment twice a year, usually in May and September or October, according to its leader.

“We have done our litter pickup in weather ranging from beautiful blue skies to light snow, rain, and winds so strong that our bags were horizontal to the ground,” explains Mel Nicholls, committee chair for the fellowship.

Clean-up efforts usually involve at least 10 volunteers. That allows two volunteers to clean the interchange area while the other eight concentrate on the shoulders of the interstate. Outings typically last between 2 1/2 and 3 hours.

“After all have receive safety instructions and sign the release form, I give each volunteer a piece of garden hose (12 to 14 inches long) to wrap the top of the bag around to make a handle; the hose makes the slick bag easier to hold and helps to keep the top of the bag open,” Nicholls said. “Besides the vests and bags provided by the transportation department, I also furnish the volunteers with three-foot reacher-grabbers so they don't have to bend down or handle the trash by hand.

“When our group adopted this section in 1999, it must not have been done for some time; we bagged over 40 sacks of highway litter that first day. After that, we have averaged between 20 to 30 bags of litter. This fall we only got 19 bags of litter.

"We hope that this is a sign that people are being more conscientious about keeping Idaho clean.”

Clean-ups have produced an interesting collection the past 12 years, including a cell phone, an old I-Pod, and a grounded weather balloon. “Some have found $1, $5, and $10 bills. My wife found a lost dog.”

“After the highway cleanup, our group usually goes to lunch at the A&W in the Chevron Station at McCammon to celebrate,” Nicholls said.

“Upon completing our assigned area, we all feel proud to have our Adopt-A-Highway section of Interstate 15 clean and litter free for a while until our next highway litter bagging season starts.”

In the past 12 years, the group has cleaned the interstate and McCammon Interchange 22 times, removing an estimated 27,300 pounds of refuse.

ITD’s statewide Adopt-A-Highway program organizes the cleaning of Idaho roadsides by volunteer groups. Those groups “adopt” a specific stretch of highway – usually two miles or longer – and take responsibility for keeping it clean through regular litter patrols.

Approximately 1,000 Adopt-A-Highway groups conducted regular cleanups in 2010, logging a total of nearly 58,000 person-hours and saving ITD an estimated $750,000. Through their efforts, ITD is able to commit more resources to highway projects that improve travel conditions and safety.

More than half of Idaho’s highways have been adopted, leaving ample opportunities for other groups and individuals to become involved.

In addition to groups participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program, an increasing number of volunteers also are involved in keeping Idaho highways clean and attractive. In calendar year 2010, they removed 2,814 bags of garbage, or more than 98,000 pounds, from roadsides.

Adopt-A-Highway groups and non-affiliated volunteers make a tremendous difference in the appearance of Idaho’s highways, said Sherie Sweaney, statewide Volunteer Services Coordinator. “It really is gratifying that so many people are committed to keeping our highways clean and attractive,” she said. “It also helps us get the most out of our available highway maintenance funds.”

For more information about adopting a stretch of highway or participating in volunteer services, contact Sweaney at (800) 443-2878.