Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
When the days begin to get warmer and the flowers and trees begin to bloom, it’s a sure sign that spring has arrived. Spring cleaning has become more than a household spruce up, though – especially in West Virginia.
The Make It Shine program has become a statewide effort to take spring cleaning outside to make the state more beautiful and litter free.
Inspired by that program and following Adopt-A-Highway guidelines, the Deer Creek Defenders 4-H Club set out to clean up the roadsides in Dunmore.
New co-leaders Hallie Herold and Amy Henry Morgan organized the group and set out on a nice Saturday in April to pick up trash along a six mile stretch of road.
“This was our first in-person event,” Herold said. “We had not met as a club, yet. It was cool, to get to meet. The Adopt-A-Highway rules only allow people 12 and older to participate, so we only met some of our teen members, but it was good.”
The seven teen members, joined by six parents and their leaders, cleaned the six miles of road between Pocahontas County High School and the Dunmore intersection.
“We had a good turnout,” Herold said. “We collected forty-five bags.”
The group filled their bags with trash and debris left behind by motorists, but the most interesting find of the day was a live snake, which, of course, they left behind.
Herold said she signed up for the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Make It Shine initiative, in which the CVB will pay $100 per one mile cleaned by a local organization or business.
The group effort yielded a cleaner roadside, as well as a chance for the club members to spend time together.
“I think they had a good time,” Herold said. “We had a good group of kids, and they were very enthusiastic.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club has not been able to have meetings, but with recent changes to state gathering guidelines, the club will soon return to meeting in person.
“I think last month, WVU Extension said that we can meet in person,” Herold said. “I think it’s up to twenty-five people, still following all COVID guidelines, so we wear masks and practice safe distancing. We plan to meet in person in May.”
Both Herold and Morgan are excited to meet all the members and begin work on more projects.
The leaders were both active in 4-H as members of the Minnehaha Braves, led by Rene White, and they were both in the Delaware Tribe at 4-H Camp. They served as chiefs of the tribe and are 4-H All Stars.