Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2017-03-06 Keep Leesburg Beautiful Town of Leesburg News Release For Immediate Release March 6, 2017 Media Contact: Betsy Arnett, Public Information Officer barnett@leesburgva.gov  703-771-2734 “Keep Leesburg Beautiful” Annual Community Clean Up Campaign Begins April 1st Leesburg, VA (March 6, 2017) – The Town of Leesburg’s 13th annual “Keep Leesburg Beautiful” community clean-up and beautification campaign will begin on April 1, 2017, and will run the entire month of April. Keep Leesburg Beautiful is an opportunity for all Leesburg residents to get involved in helping clean up the Town's streets, alleyways and streams,” said Mayor Kelly Burk. “I invite everyone to join us, the Leesburg Town Council, in picking up trash around town. Come down to Town Hall for free orange vests, gloves and bags, join with your family, a church group, a civic group, or by yourself to pick up trash and help keep Leesburg beautiful.” Again this year, the Town is asking for particular assistance with storm sewer inlet inventories. Last year, 119 people walked their neighborhoods and noted inlets that were blocked by vegetation and debris or needed repair. The Public Works and Capital Projects Department provided them with maps and inventory f orms. After they returned the completed forms, the Street Division used that information to dispatch crews to address problems. “Last year, volunteers identified 35 inlets that needed to be cleared or repaired,” said Renée LaFollette, Leesburg’s Director of Public Works and Capital Projects. “Blocked inlets are a primary cause of localized street and yard flooding during rainstorms. With over 6,000 storm sewer inlets in the Town, Town staff are hard-pressed to inspect every inlet, so these volunteer efforts go a long way to improving stormwater management in the Town.” For more information about the storm drain inventory program, including how to sign up, visit the Town website at www.leesburgva.gov/KLB. TOL PR 2017-03-06 KLB 2017 Page 2 The other major Keep Leesburg Beautiful program is litter collection throughout Town. Residents, neighborhood and community groups, and businesses are encouraged to participate by forming teams to collect litter along roadsides, stream beds and other public common areas. Groups and individuals interested in participating should visit the Town of Leesburg website at www.leesburgva.gov/KLB for details about how to volunteer and suggestions for litter collection locations. The Town of Leesburg will provide safety vests, gloves and trash bags and will collect the filled bags and larger items like tires and appliances. Each year, the Leesburg Town Council and Town staff hold a clean-up challenge as part of Keep Leesburg Beautiful month. The winners receive the “Golden Trash Can” award. Last year, the two groups collected a combined total of 1,520 pounds of trash. # # #