By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — Efforts to beautify Georgetown through community unity took center stage Saturday.

More than 100 volunteers pitched in to canvass the town’s four wards in a trash pickup campaign during Georgetown’s second annual CommUNITY Clean-up Day.

“Last year we did have a bigger crowd, not much bigger, about 150, I think. That was people anxious to get out of the house after COVID and all that,” said Judson Malone, organizer of the CommUNITY event. “This year was still a very good turnout. We’re very happy.”

Among the volunteers armed with safety vests, litter pick sticks and trash bags were members of Georgetown Boy Scout Troop 95. Their primary zone was Ward 2 along the railroad tracks.

“We found a lot of beer bottles, candy wrappers, soda cans and plastic stuff,” said Troop 95 Scout John Teoli. “I feel happy because you’re helping the environment and trying to keep it clean for future generations, so that they don’t have to live in a dump.”

Fellow Troop 95 member Logan Keenan added, “In some places there was a lot of trash, and some places there was a minimal amount. Curbs and sidewalks, they had more trash than places like in the middle of the road. We are cleaning up the environment and that makes me feel good that I contributed to the town.”

Lillian Keenan, reigning Junior Miss Georgetown, helped pick up trash with the Scout troop.

“There was a lot of trash, but we got it picked up. We found a lot of bottle caps. We found a lot of wrappers and stuff,” said Lillian, who also cashed in for 20 cents.

“I found two dimes. It was fun. I like doing community service.”

Following the two-hour litter pickup, volunteers were treated to free barbecued chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Large Dumpsters were in all four wards for disposal of furniture, mattresses, scrap wood, metal and other acceptable materials.

Mr. Malone noted that the cleanup effort was townwide through a coalition.

“We’re making the community aware that it is nice to keep it clean,” he said. “Maybe this year they are paying a little bit more attention. We just want to keep our town beautiful.”

Local officials who participated town manager Eugene Dvornick, councilwoman Christina Diaz-Malone and Mayor Bill West.

Event supporters include First State Community Action Agency, La Esperanza, Habitat for Humanity, Richard Allen Coalition, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Springboard Collaborative, The Voice Radio Network, town of Georgetown/town police, Georgetown Public Library, Historic Georgetown Association, several banks along with support from state Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, and state Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown.

“Everybody from La Esperanza, we were all out there. There was a lot of garbage to pick up,” said La Esperanza Executive Director Jennifer Fuqua.

“We partner with First State (Community Action) on a regular basis. It’s really great that there is this coalition of groups in Georgetown that are connected by this so we can come together for different things.”