KCCB, more than 100 volunteers, clean up waterways

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

More than 100 volunteers, young and old, came together this weekend picking up bottles, bags, papers, and assorted oddities to help clean up two of the city’s waterways.

Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful, KCCB, held a waterway cleanup event Saturday during which 101 volunteers picked up an impressive 575 pounds of trash and 60 pounds of recycling. Volunteers gathered at Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant gathering items such as safety vests, trash bags, gloves, and pickers to help with the cleanup before dispersing to one of two waterway locations in Cove; the waterway near Giovanni’s and the waterway located near Judy Lane and Creek Street.

“It’s important to pick up trash and keep it out of the waterways,” said KCCB Executive Director Roxanne Flores-Achmad. “And it also instills a sense of pride in our citizens when they take ownership and can feel like ‘Hey, I made a difference in our community’.”

Flores-Achmad said that it was nice seeing so many people out and volunteering, especially with the weather as cold as it was.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful,” said City Councilwoman, Vonya Hart. Hart said that she was thrilled and excited to be able to be a part of things and has participated in several other KCCB events. “It’s not just about picking up trash, it’s about being around your neighbors and the community and you are all serving one purpose which is to keep Copperas Cove beautiful.”

The waterway cleanup was made possible thanks to support by KCCB, The Mission Continues, Texas A&M University – Central Texas, Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant, Solid Waste, Code Compliance, the Drainage Department, and the dozens of other volunteers who supported the event.

Several members of the Holy Family Catholic Church’s Youth Group helped with the cleanup Saturday morning. According to Edith Natividad, who helped supervise the young volunteers, there were 12 Youth Group volunteers at the cleanup including Natividad’s granddaughters, Pe’ela Palemene (14) and Koelani Palemene (12).

“I think it’s good because it helps keep the environment clean,” said Pe’ela Palemene. She said that it was important to keep things clean to help prevent an animal from accidentally eating something dangerous. She added that it is important to make sure that our city does not look “too trashy”.

The sisters said that one of the strangest items they found was a “big ol’ book” that had been dropped in the waterway by Giovanni’s. 

“I just want to help keep Copperas Cove clean,” said Christine Uwaine (17) another Youth Group volunteer. “It helps prevent pollution and makes the environment safer for the animals and people living in this community.”

One of KCCB’s biggest events, the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off is coming soon. The cleanup event will be held April 10. Volunteers should plan to meet at City Park at 8 a.m. They plan to hold a barbecue provided by The Mission Continues following the April 10 cleanup.

“Come on out for a great day of picking up trash, having fun, and getting to meet your neighbors,” said Flores-Achmad.