Great American Cleanup1Hartsville residents are invited to spend a Saturday morning making the city’s neighborhoods a better place by volunteering for the Great American Cleanup, taking place April 25 and leaving from Pride Park, 630 S. Sixth St, at 8:30 a.m.

This 12th annual event, sponsored by the City of Hartsville and Keep Darlington County Beautiful, comes as a time to clear away trash and debris from road right-of-ways in neighborhoods of their choosing. Last year, Hartsville’s Great American Cleanup brought together 77 volunteers to collect 103 bags of trash and carry away 68 discarded tires, beautifying an estimated 10 miles of Hartsville streets.

Nationwide, the 2014 Great American Cleanup brought together more than 4 million volunteers to clean away more than 250 million pounds of trash from nearly 86,000 miles of roads, waterways and shorelines, according to Keep America Beautiful.

Participating volunteers will receive equipment for the effort such as safety vests, gloves and bags, and can enjoy a provided lunch afterwards. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Pride Park, and volunteers move out to their chosen areas beginning at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will then be provided back at Pride Park at noon.

Those interested in volunteering may register with Brenda Kelley at 843.383.3009 or brenda.kelley@hartsvillesc.gov or Heather Garrison at 843.339.2868 or heather.garrison@hartsvillesc.gov.