During our recent “Cleaning Up the Mountains” campaign we had great participation from individuals who have partnered to pick up roadside litter in their own communities. Mike and Norma Clayton started this campaign years ago and continue to be leaders in this effort. Maggie Carlton leads the group in Cashiers with a team of regular volunteers from the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce and Vision Cashiers. Adam Tebbugge from Tuckasegee is sharing on social media and also worked with his community to pick up litter along Caney Fork Road and Jennifer Cooper is recruiting student groups from WCU. I have seen several student groups along N.C. 107 and in Webster picking up litter and that demonstrates their positive engagement with our community. Trout Unlimited has picked up litter along the Tuckasegee River several times this spring. The Village of Forest Hills had a community pick-up as did the Democrat Women of Jackson County, who picked up litter along Skyland Drive. Mike Parker with the EBCI Division of Commerce organized a group to pick up litter from the top of Soco Gap down Highway 19. 

The Sylva Herald has helped us by covering the litter campaign in the newspaper and urging participation. Allison Outdoor Advertising has run ads on their digital billboards as a public service. The Print Shak made our banner and updates the dates of each campaign. Westley Grindstaff from DOT gave us 700 garbage bags. Nick Breedlove from the TDA donated funds to purchase grabbers. A great debt of appreciation goes to Chad Parker, Sylva’s Public Works Director and  Kim Shuler, Solid Waste Coordinator. If anyone needs bags, gloves, grabbers or vests please contact Kim at 586.2437. Our efforts are ongoing, feel free to pick up litter any time!

We live in such a beautiful place — Jackson County — and yet I tell people all the time our greatest treasure is our people. We literally had folks picking up litter from one end of our county, Soco Gap, to the other end, the Cashiers area, and in between. Thank you to all who participate in our ongoing efforts to keep Jackson County Clean and Green.

Gayle Woody

Jackson County Litter Task Force