Dear Editor,

A harsh winter has left us all reeling for the Spring season and all of the wonderful things it brings. Last year, PRIDE volunteers welcomed spring with record-breaking numbers. Once again, April has been declared PRIDE Spring Cleanup month and I sincerely hope you will consider joining the rapidly growing PRIDE team.

I announced a challenge last Spring, to rally 20,000 volunteers for PRIDE Spring Cleanup. In common Southern and Eastern Kentucky fashion, you surpassed my expectations. More than 26,000 volunteers spread out across every county, city, roadside and waterway to clean up our region. Let me tell you, it shows. I have received comments from across the country about how the landscape is changing in rural Kentucky. It’s all thanks to you, our volunteers who are taking responsibility and pride to restore what the good Lord gave us.

This year, I challenge you to reach the 30,000 mark. Think big and create challenges to get your neighbors involved. PRIDE will provide everything you need for the cleanup, including roadside reflector vests, trash bags, gloves and safety tips. The trash bags you fill will be picked up beside the roadway by your supporting county or city. If you would like to organize a cleanup with your church, business or community, PRIDE will gladly assist those efforts. Free T-shirts will also be given to the first 25,000 PRIDE Spring Cleanup volunteers.  

Volunteering with PRIDE creates instant results across our region. Take a look at a few examples of what Southern and Eastern Kentuckians have accomplished since PRIDE began in 1997:

287,049 volunteers have worked more than one million hours.

591,408 bags of trash plus 140,217 tons of trash have been collected.

942,135 old tires have been recovered.

As we cleanup, we will be planting redbud trees and seedlings.  During the past six years, TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky has given away more than 440,000 seedlings throughout the region. This year, PRIDE and TOUR SEKY are partnering up again to cleanup then beautify. 

Our 2010 Spring Cleanup Theme is “PRIDE, it starts with me!” I hope each of you adopt that slogan and make this another record-breaking year. There’s not a more beautiful place in the world, so let’s work together to keep it that way.

Sincerely,

Harold Rogers

Member of Congress