Fielder’s Choice

My father worked at what was called “a convict camp” when I was a child.

And one of the things I recall the most is seeing the state inmates picking up litter along the highways.

At that age (7 or 8), it helped drive home a point made by my parents in the home and by my teachers at school – do not litter.

Maybe educators and parents have dropped the ball on those instructions over the years. No doubt, they have many, many more important things to be concerned about as times have drastically changed since the 1960s.

But it’s my hope that we can all play a part in teaching our children not to litter.

Like pretty much everything else when it comes to learning, this needs to start at a young age.

Just this past weekend, I saw where someone had tossed a fast-food bag out on Chulahoma Avenue and the wind had taken its contents (empty hamburger and fries containers, napkins, etc.) into a nearby yard.

Why do it? What goes through someone’s mind when they toss such things out a car window? I really have no explanation.

This month, the City of Holly Springs has coordinated its Team Up To Clean Up Campaign. And it has been successful. I know of several groups and individuals who have pitched in to help. It continues a few more days, through March 31.

There are four dumpster locations – at Van Dorn and Alderson, at West College and Isom, at Hudsonville and West Street, and beside the tire shop in front of Holly Inn on Martin Luther King Drive.

Note: Household garbage and hazardous wastes are not to be placed in the dumpsters.

I believe the Marshall County Board of Supervisors will soon start the annual Spring Clean-Up in the county, also with dumpsters at various locations.

A headline in a recent edition of both The SouthReporter and Pigeon Roost News read, “Roadside cleanup efforts gain momentum.”

It seems more and more church groups, civic groups, community volunteers are getting involved.

The article focuses a lot on a group of neighbors on Cayce Road who adopted it for roadside cleanup.

Deputy sheriff Kenneth Jones, a leader in the county cleanup efforts, believes there are enough communityminded people who will work together to pick up the trash other people throw out. He believes when the community sets an example, those who trash the county roads will stop throwing trash, bottles, and food wrappers out the window of their vehicles.

I like it, and here’s hoping even more folks across Marshall County get on the bandwagon.

“Together, with groups like Kenneth and his neighbors, we can make a big difference in the appearance of our roads,” Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said.

The sheriff also offered some hope that state inmates can once again be permitted to pick up trash, saying the Mississippi Department of Corrections has lifted some restrictions.

Litter is a huge negative.

Cleanliness along our roadsides leaves a good impression and boosts tourism, economic development and more.