Students and citizens adopted streets and streams to clear them of litter Saturday for Boone Clean-up Day held by the Public Works Department of the Town of Boone.

There were approximately 200 participants throughout the day cleaning roadside and streamside.

Boone’s Clean-up Day kicked off a statewide Fall Litter Sweep where citizens can continue to help in their community’s efforts in keeping their community free of pollution. The litter sweep takes place from Sept. 21 to Oct. 5, said community improvement coordinator Shannon Isaacs.

Isaacs said in a press release that their goal is “to encourage Boone citizens to join other volunteers making a conscious decision to promote community pride while enhancing Boone’s natural beauty and quality of life.”

The Public Works Department focuses on community outreach, including conservation and litter prevention and recycling within the town limits, Isaacs said.

“We just want to make sure we have a healthy environment free of [being] full of litter and debris for all animals,” Lane Weiss, water conservation program coordinator, said.

Participants stopped at the Town of Boone Public Works Center between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to pick up vests, trash bags and any other supplies necessary for the cleanup. During lunch hours, volunteers could visit the center for refreshments.

A contest was also held for the most unusual litter found. Some of the entries included a high heel shoe, a ceramic Halloween cat and a full bottle of Drano. The top three winners will receive cash prizes in amounts of $100, $50 and $25, and the winners will be announced this Friday, Isaacs said.

Appalachian clubs registered for the litter sweep throughout the two weeks include ASU Risk Management and Insurance Society, Alpha Phi sorority, Delta Delta Sigma, the Finance Student Association, ASU Elite Dance Team, ASU Math Club, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and ROTC Scabbard and Blade.

Nathan Mudford, a junior computer science major, attended the event with ROTC Scabbard and Blade.

“The street was pretty clean to begin with, but the stream was a different story,” he said. “The rain was cold to start, and it was a rainy day. We filled up all 12 garbage bags before we reached the end, probably because we were the first to touch in it three years. We finished grimy and wet, but at least Boone is that much cleaner.”

Story: MICHELLE PIERCE, News Reporter