5/3/2005
Filer High School National Honor Society recognized for highway cleanup
SHOSHONE - Members of the Filer High School National Honor Society have kept their adopted segment of U.S. 30 (mileposts 206-209) between Filer and Buhl free of debris and litter since 1999. They remain one of the most active Adopt-A-Highway school organizations in the region.
The Idaho Transportation Board acknowledged those efforts recently by presenting District 4 Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) group of the year award. Representatives received a plaque and a clock made from a simulated Idaho license plate.
The presentation came during the transportation boards monthly meeting.
I was very impressed by some of the ways the advisors have come up with ideas to keep the program interesting and active, said Shawn Webb, the AAH coordinator for District 4 (south-central Idaho).
They have done data collection as they pick up trash. They have discovered for instance, what the apparent favorite types of beer, soda and cigarettes are for local litterbugs, as well as which direction those people are traveling when they litter the most.
Honor Society members are also awarded prizes for recording the most interesting finds, and like most groups, they offer refreshments for the 8-10 participants who volunteer twice a year.
The group took their adoption role a step father than most, though. During a recent outing, the Filer High School group discovered an abandoned kitten along the road. One of the members adopted the kitten and took it home to become part of the family.
The AAH program organizes the cleaning of Idaho roadsides by volunteer groups. Those groups adopt a specific stretch of highway usually two miles long and take responsibility for keeping it clean through regular litter patrols.
More than 1,150 groups spent approximately 27,404 person hours statewide removing litter in 2004. About 55 percent of state highways have been adopted, leaving ample opportunities for other groups and individuals to become involved.
The volume of material collected from the shoulders of Idaho makes a tremendous difference in the appearance of Idahos highways, said statewide AAH coordinator, Sherie Sweaney.
Volunteers collected more than 2.3 million pounds of litter, resulting in a savings to the state of nearly a quarter-million dollars that can be applied to other projects that improve safety and driving conditions.
For more information about adopting a stretch of highway, contact Sweaney at 1-800-443-2878.