Volunteers tackle 124 miles of trash

Thelezia Folse

A total of 256 volunteers from community groups and industry covered 124 miles of the parish and filled 229 bags with roadside litter in the parish’s second annual Trash Bash.

Volunteers spread out across heavily-trafficked areas of the parish to pick up the litter and also collected some unusual items, including 48 tires, two signs, two poles, a propane tank and siding.

Awards were given out to the volunteers who had the most members in their group. J.B. Martin led the pack with 40, while Valero St. Charles Refinery had 22 volunteers.

The parish will also give awards to the groups that collected the most litter, but that will not be determined until the information is tabulated.

Parish spokeswoman Renee Simpson said the event was very successful this year and that the parish is considering turning the Trash Bash into a week-long beautification event next year.

“We can have people send pictures to us of a spring garden they planted to spruce up their homes and then have the Trash Bash to go along with it” she said.

Simpson added that the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office really increased their own litter pick up this year and that she believes there was less trash to pick up this year when compared to last year.