MIDDLESBORO — April is PRIDE Spring Cleanup Month in southern and eastern Kentucky. If Bell County, Middlesboro and Pineville participate, they can receive up to $16,700 from PRIDE to pay for roadside cleanups and beautification projects. April also is Redbud Month, and TOUR SEKY is giving away free redbuds to plant.

“PRIDE is recruiting an army of volunteers to clean our region’s scenic landscape, and we’re asking local governments to lead the charge in their communities,” said Karen Engle, PRIDE President and Chief Executive Officer. “To assist cities and counties, PRIDE is pleased to offer Spring Cleanup funds, thanks to a partnership with the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet.”

“We will target roadsides, to make sure the region is attractive to tourists who travel here to enjoy our redbud blooms and recreation sites,” Engle explained. “The Spring Cleanup funds will reimburse cities and counties for disposing of trash collected along roads during April. After cleanup projects are finished, the cities and counties can use their funds to build or improve beautification signs.”

Each city and county’s funding level is based on its number of road miles. Bell County is eligible for $12,800 in PRIDE Spring Cleanup funds. Middlesboro can receive up to $2,700, and Pineville is eligible for $1,200.

Spring Cleanup funds are available to all local governments in PRIDE’s 38-county service area. To qualify for its available funding, the local government must send representatives to training workshops and comply with funding guidelines.

PRIDE also will supply all local governments with garbage bags, gloves and safety vests to distribute to Spring Cleanup volunteers. PRIDE will give a free T-shirt to the first 20,000 Spring Cleanup volunteers.

Clean roads will welcome the tourists as they admire the lush blooms of the region’s native Eastern Redbuds in April. Redbud Month was started by TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky (TOUR SEKY), the region’s tourism development organization, in 2004 to extend the region’s annual tourism season. Since then, TOUR SEKY has given out over 350,000 seedlings. This year, local governments can apply for up to 500 free Eastern Redbud seedlings from TOUR SEKY.

PRIDE is a nonprofit organization that promotes “Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment” in southern and eastern Kentucky. It was founded in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers and Kentucky Environmental Protection Secretary James Bickford.

For more information, call the PRIDE office, toll free, at 888-577-4339, or visit the PRIDE web site, www.kypride.org.