CLAYTON – The Friends of Johnston County Parks is hosting their third public event in honor of Earth Day. A countywide litter clean up at designated parks and roadways across the county is scheduled for Saturday, April 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The group is working with local parks and recreation departments and county partners, as well as NC DOT as part of the North Carolina Litter Sweep. The group is promoting the countywide event, with clean ups being organized locally. Participating towns include Benson, Clayton, Cleveland, Selma, and Smithfield, as well as the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site and Triangle Land Conservancy’s Flower Hill Preserve.
Registration is required to participate in the event and space is limited to a maximum of 50 people per location, based on the Executive Order for mass gatherings. Face masks and social distancing will be required. Bags, gloves, and safety vests may be provided at each location as available, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own if they have them. The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will finish by 12:00 p.m. or when the local areas are free from litter.
The Friends of Johnston County Parks was launched in early October and has been meeting monthly since then. The group has already hosted two public events, #OptOutsideJoCo in November and #FirstWeekendJoCo in January. The Friends of Johnston County Parks is a volunteer coalition advocating in support of parks, open space, the arts, and recreational opportunities on behalf of all Johnston County citizens and visitors. The core group’s interests range from athletics to arts to gardening to playgrounds to outdoor recreation and everything in between. Their core group includes graduate students, business owners, community leaders, youth sports coaches, and parks and recreation professionals. The group’s four strategic priorities are advocacy, education, recreation, and stewardship.
“The Earth Day Countywide Cleanup presents a great opportunity to get outside and make a positive difference. We look forward to working with volunteers and community partners to coordinate efforts throughout our beautiful county,” said Sarah Bunn, the event organizer and core group member of Friends of Johnston County Parks.
“Our parks, greenways, and open spaces are an important asset and resource for Johnston County,” said Dave Herpy with the Friends of Johnston County Parks. “Earth Day is the perfect time to give back and do our part to help keep them clean and free from litter for everyone’s enjoyment.”
Event Details
News media are invited to share news about the event. Following are the details:
- Who: Johnston County Citizens and Volunteers
- What: Countywide Earth Day Litter Clean Up
- When: Saturday, April 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Where: Designated parks, greenways, open spaces, and roadways across Johnston County.
- Why: To clean up litter across the county and give back to nature in celebration of Earth Day.
- How: Register at this link: https://forms.gle/BnWXpmV7fBxDUcpH9
- Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/217345710124892
