27th Annual Trash Bash a Rainy Success for KIB; 312 Volunteers Participated at T.W. Richardson Grove

Irving, TX, October 05, 2018 --(PR.com)-- A little rain did not stop Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) from hosting the 27th Annual Trash Bash, the organization’s signature cleanup event at T.W. Richardson Grove Park on September 29, and it didn’t stop many of the volunteers from coming to the park and staying to help. After waiting out the rain, the skies cleared and the 312 volunteers (161 adults and 151 youth), picked up litter and kept it out of the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River, giving 936 hours of service in collecting 2,840 pounds of trash. Following the event, volunteers from Calvary Church “Loving Our City” group prepared and served lunch, with chips donated by Frito-Lay. For the seventh straight year, the Trash Bash was part of the National Public Lands Day Program, with thousands of volunteers engaged in similar projects across the country.

KIB cleanups are much more than picking up litter – they are educational experiences. Several popular attractions were part of the festivities, including naturalist Jon Halsey, reptile expert Barry Allen, and City of Irving Water Utilities and Stormwater Drainage Program staff. The Trash Bash has been coupled with a canned food drive for several years, with volunteers bringing a total of 360 cans for donation to the Crisis Ministries of Irving Food Pantry.

Mayor Rick Stopfer had officially proclaimed September 29 as “Trash Bash Day in Irving,” and city partnerships played a big role in the success of the Trash Bash, including Parks, Solid Waste Services and Communications. Community partners included: Vizient, Inc.; Nissan Group of North America; Verizon Green Team; AcuGraphics; FASTSIGNS Irving-Las Colinas; the Rambler and Burb Newspapers; and Magician Maxwell Blade. Prizes were generously donated by the Irving Family YMCA, City of Irving Parks and Recreation, Kroger, Glory House, and Arnold Brothers Forest Products. This was the second year for the Singley Academy Police Explorers to participate, adding another layer of safety by arriving early to direct traffic and keep the parking procedure safe and efficient.

KIB Board President, Jim Scrivner was at the event and had this to say about the day. “Over the past 27 years, the Trash Bash has become an Irving tradition where we do much more than just pick up litter. There are so many opportunities for our volunteers to learn about a variety of subjects in a fun way, and also to meet others with a similar mindset who want to make a positive difference in their community.”

Keep Irving Beautiful is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating our community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of our city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of our city including government, business, church, cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations. If you are interested in volunteering with KIB, or making your activity a “green event,” please go to Keep Irving Beautiful, or call (972) 721-2175.