Keep Alachua County Beautiful helps restore community action

COVID-19 put the whole world indoors and the community suffered as trash and litter began to pile up. As many spent time in quarantine, community action sunk to an all-time low. But, as the nation begins to reopen its doors, Keep Alachua County Beautiful (KACB) is proud to announce its relaunch of our 2020 Great American Cleanup event to help restore harmony through determined action.

KACB will hold its 29th annual Great American Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 26. Join us at Albert Ray Massey (Westside) Park, 1001 NW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32605. The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon. To volunteer, please visit https://www.kacb.org/events and pre-register your group or yourself to participate in our main event.

Individuals, groups and organizations across Alachua County are encouraged to be part of the nation’s largest community improvement program that includes thousands of volunteers annually. Supplies will be distributed at Massey Park by KACB. Volunteers will then spread out into the community at chosen or designated service sites for groups to clean up. Volunteers will also be given free t-shirts while supplies last. 

Contributors are also permitted free drop-offs of used tires. Rims will not be allowed, and vehicles are limited to six tires each. If interested, please fill out an event registration form at https://www.kacb.org/. 

Due to COVID-19, KACB has changed its procedures to foster as safe an environment as possible for volunteers. Supplies will be brought to each vehicle. Please follow the traffic pattern beginning at the entrance closest to NW 8th Avenue. Volunteers will have access to sanitized supplies and are able to safely participate through social distancing. Families and individuals who wish to further limit their interaction with others are welcome to visit our office before the date of the event to receive their supplies on Monday thru Thursday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

After long months indoors, KACB is excited to help residents of Alachua County get back outside to help replenish the community once again. In 2019, Keep America Beautiful affiliates and more than 500,000 volunteers improved 13,489 public spaces and collected 42 million pounds of litter, debris, and recyclables. This year, even more participants will be needed to tackle the waste in our nation.

To register, become a sponsor, or for more information on other available dates for cleanup and beautification projects, please visit our website, kacb.org, or contact KACB at 352-371-9444 or greatamericancleanup.kacb@gmail.com. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook @keepalachuacountybeautiful, Twitter @ALitterFreeAC and on Instagram @keepacbeautiful.