NEWS
For Immediate Release
Information Contact:
C.O.R.E. District Cleanup GAC Coordinator
479-981-1332
pfihospitality@gmail.com
C.O.R.E. Organizing Large Appliance / Litter Pickup Event for Monday 10/18
Volunteers Needed to Help Keep Boone Counties’ C.O.R.E. District Beautiful
Harrison, AE (October 6, 2010) – Volunteers are needed for C.O.R.E.’s semi-annual litterpickup campaign on Monday October 18th from Noon – 5PM. Sponsored by C.O.R.E. and in lieu
of its Monthly General Meeting, the cleanup is being held in conjunction with the Great
Arkansas Cleanup (GAC), Harrison Public Works and Arvest Bank and will work in conjunction
with the annual fall statewide litter-pickup campaign promoted by Keep Arkansas Beautiful
(KAB), a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc. (KAmB) and a division of the Arkansas
Department of Parks and Tourism.
“Litter is a problem in the C.O.R.E. District of Boone County,” said C.O.R.E.’s Rob
McCorkindale, co-coordinator of this year’s cleanup and Spoke Champion of the Quality of Life
Spoke, “our organization has made a commitment to twice a year make an impact”. “It is illegal
to litter. It can affect our community’s potential to attract business, industry and tourism. It has a
devastating effect on our water supply. It ruins the natural beauty of the byways, waterways and
forests we all enjoy so much. We need to clean it up and keep it off the sides of our roads and out
of our waterways. We will make an impact on Harrison’s most visible corridor as we will
cleanup up Central from Cherry Street to the Bypass.”
Everyone in Harrison and Boone County is encouraged to participate in this year’s litter-pickup
effort. The Historic Harrison Business Association, The Hotel Seville, The Chamber and CVB
and others will join civic and service organizations, church and youth groups, school groups and
clubs, scouts, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses can put together a cleanup
team and pitch in. Volunteers will be fed through a donated effort by Arvest Bank.
Volunteers are asked to gather at the Coffman Center beginning at 12:30 and at any point up to
5Pm to receive their assignments from C.O.R.E. Destination spoke champion Dave Fitton.
Fitton encouraged, “large appliances are welcome BUT will be limited to one truckload. Those
appliances can include Tv’s, microwave, refrigerators, etc and should be brought to the vacant
lot on Stephenson where a Public Works truck will be parked and waiting.” Volunteers will be
need for a range of activities including trash collection, large appliance assistance, painting and
debris removal. Extra supplies, such as trash bags, paint brushes, work gloves, shovels, etc are
welcomed and volunteers are encouraged to bring on their own.
“Litter is everyone’s responsibility,” said Jack Moyer, C.O.R.E. spokesman. “Although we aren’t
all litterers, we do all live in this community together and must work together to keep it clean
and green. In a perfect world, no one would litter and there would not be a need for volunteers to
pick up other people’s trash. But, unfortunately, litter is everywhere, and we all have to pitch in
and stop pitching out. We all understand that a strong central CORE is in the best interest of the
city as whole. Step one to making that happens is showing pride in its appearance.”
This year’s local cleanup is sponsored by C.O.R.E’s Quality of Life Spoke, The HHBA and
Arvest Bank. FURTHER REMINDER – The Cleanup will replace the CORE general Meeting
for October. General Meetings of C.O.R.E. will return in November as regularly scheduled.
About the Great Arkansas Cleanup
The statewide kickoff date for the GAC is Sept. 11. Events are being organized across the state
during September and October as part of the annual fall litter-pickup event. Last year, the GAC
included 138 events across the state. Just over 15,000 volunteers picked up 3.4 million pounds of
litter; cleaned up 1,223 miles of roadway, 193 parks and public areas, and 367 miles of shoreline.
The volunteer-driven effort provided the state and participating communities a cost-saving value
of $1 million.
The Great Arkansas Cleanup grew out of an effort that began nearly 40 years ago as the Greers
Ferry Lake and Little Red River Cleanup. In 1985, U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers guided legislation
requiring an annual pickup event during the weekend after Labor Day on all federal lands. This
law, the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Act, honors the founder of the event. Mr. Garner
continues his advocacy for a clean and litter-free environment as a member of the Keep Arkansas
Beautiful Foundation board of directors. The first statewide GAC was organized in 1989.
The GAC is sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department, Glad Products Co., Keep America Beautiful Inc.,
Sam’s Club® and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Sponsors help provide needed cleanup supplies to GAC
participants.
About Keep Arkansas Beautiful
As a certified state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc., Keep Arkansas Beautiful works to
inspire and educate individuals to reduce litter, recycle and keep Arkansas beautiful. It operates
as a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and is overseen by a ninemember commission appointed by the governor. KAB is funded by 1 percent of the eighth-cent
conservation tax and, by utilizing volunteers, returns to the state a cost benefit of $15.34 in
community service for each program dollar spent. For more information about KAB, call tollfree 888-742-8701, visit KeepArkansasBeautiful.com or stay connected at
Facebook.com/KeepArkansasBeautiful or YouTube.com/DontLitterAR.
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