CCMS joins Alabama Power Service Organization, North Alabama Trails & Recreation in community cleanup
More than 100 seventh graders from Cleburne County Middle School took part in cleaning their community, picking up trash from multiple locations across their county as a part of the ‘Our Power, Our Planet’ initiative. (Alabama News Center)
More than 100 seventh graders from Cleburne County Middle School took part in cleaning their community, picking up trash from multiple locations across their county as a part of the ‘Our Power, Our Planet’ initiative. The cleanup was in partnership with North Alabama Trails & Recreation and the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) while also receiving a grant from the Alabama Power Foundation.
Students began the day bright and early at 8 a.m., picking up litter on their campus before piling into buses and heading to two river access points just a short drive away. After several hours of litter removal, the students reconvened at Cahulga Creek Park in Heflin for lunch and a final cleanup of the park.
“It really brought awareness that it’s our planet, it’s our responsibility and if we want it to be here for our future and their future, then we have to take care of it,” said Jennifer Swafford, who serves as a counselor at CCMS. “It begins by picking up and cleaning up.”
Throughout the day, the event was organized into a competition between the boys and the girls with both teams amassing over 1,200 pounds of litter. With the boys having a filing cabinet and eight tires as part of their haul, their trash weighed slightly more and gave them the win over the girls.
“The kids are still talking about their outing and getting outdoors and experiencing all that our community has to offer,” Swafford said. “It is our responsibility and our privilege to keep it where we can all enjoy it.”
Along with picking up litter, students were given the opportunity to work alongside members of North Alabama Trails & Recreation (NATR) and APSO. Members of both organizations taught students the importance of protecting the environment while explaining how companies like Alabama Power help keep the Earth clean.
NATR services 18 counties across northern Alabama. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the nonprofit’s mission is to foster outdoor recreation development throughout the northern parts of the state.
Christy Cochran serves as the operations manager for NATR and was inspired by the efforts of the students.
“We at North Alabama Trails & Recreation were thrilled to partner with the Alabama Power Foundation to bring ‘Our Power, Our Planet’ to life with the enthusiastic participation of seventh grade class at Cleburne County Middle School,” Cochran said. “This cleanup is a testament to the collective power we have to make a difference in our environment, and the dedication of these young people is truly inspiring.”
APSO is a dedicated group of Alabama Power employees who volunteer and serve their communities in various ways across the state. The organization boasts over 6,200 volunteers across nine chapters, producing one million volunteer hours over the course of the organization’s history.
Julie Couch serves as APSO’s Eastern Division president and was at the cleanup working alongside students. Couch said that it was wonderful seeing how excited they were to help.
“Getting students involved early makes a huge difference,” Couch said. “It teaches them to care about where they live and shows them that their actions matter. Volunteering gives them a sense of ownership and confidence they can create change, and I believe that is very important for our future generations. When organizations like APSO partner with students, it sends a strong message that we’re all in this together.”
Along with volunteers from NATR and APSO, other partner organizations present included Cleburne County Key Club and Kiwanis Club members, the Coosa Valley RC&D Council, Wild Alabama and Cleburne County Soil and Water.
To learn more about CCMS and its students, click here. If you would like to learn more about North Alabama Trails & Recreation and its events and volunteer opportunities, click here. To learn more about APSO and the good work that its members do in Alabama’s communities, click here.
