With garbage bags in hand and taking a cleanup campaign toheart, James Drive residents set out to remove trash and otherdebris from a section of their road in northern Lincoln Countyearlier this week.

Paul Henderson, who helped organize the effort, said around 25people participated in the Saturday morning event that saw around2.5 miles of James Drive between Macedonia Road and Kane Lanecleaned up.

“We had a lot of people participate from the neighborhood,”Henderson said. “They came out, joined in and helped out.”

Henderson said community members decided to take on the projectinstead of having to have the sheriff’s department’s inmate workcrew come out and perform the task.

“We’re trying to take our community back and keep it clean,”Henderson said.

Henderson said residents hope to do the cleanup effort abouttwice a year. And in the process, they may set an example forothers to follow.

“Hopefully, people will see this and do something in theircommunities,” Henderson said.

Homer Richardson, a member of Keep Lincoln County Beautiful,echoed Henderson’s comments in commending the neighborhood on itsefforts.

“That is the whole idea behind the Great American Cleanup,” saidRichardson, referring to the campaign that is currently under wayin Lincoln County and elsewhere.

The annual campaign strives to raise awareness of litter onroadsides and encourages people to take action to improve theirneighborhoods and communities. Richardson indicated the James Driveeffort was a good example.

“This is more community related than cleaning up in our ownyards,” he said.

To help people with cleanup in their own personal spaces, trashbins are being placed around the county on weekends in April andearly May.

This weekend, the bins are in District Three in Bogue Chitto ata vacant lot on Highway 51 at Brister Street. Next weekend, theywill be in District Four and the campaign will wrap up in DistrictFive in May.

Whether around their own homes or community-based efforts likeon James Drive, Richardson said the goal was to get areas cleanedup and litter-free so that hopefully people will take note of theclean appearance and keep it that way.

“This is really what the Great American Cleanup is trying todo,” Richardson said. “Any time someone cleans up an area, it isappreciated.”