KIB Celebrates 33rd Annual Trash Bash at T.W. Richardson Grove 438 Volunteers Participate

Irving, TX, October 10, 2024 --(PR.com)-- T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635, was the site of the Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) 33rd Annual Trash Bash, the organization’s signature cleanup event. A total of 438 volunteers gathered at the park on Sept. 28, with a focus of stopping litter from reaching the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The volunteers totaled 1,289 hours of service and collected 2,120 pounds of trash and 420 pounds of recyclables.

Mayor Rick Stopfer officially proclaimed Sept. 28 as “Trash Bash Day in Irving.” The event also was part of National Public Lands Day when thousands of volunteers engaged in similar projects across the country.

KIB partnered with Crisis Ministries of Irving for their annual canned food drive during the city’s Trash Bash event. Volunteers who brought non-perishable food donations received a KIB Trash Bash T-shirt. Crisis Ministries volunteers 521 pounds of food were collected to benefit the local community.

Following the cleanup, volunteers from Nueva Vida Church prepared and served beef and veggie hot dogs, and chips were donated by Frito-Lay. KIB volunteers also served a variety of I Fratelli pizzas to the hungry crowd.

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to visit a variety of vendors at the park. The City of Irving Water Utilities not only provided all the water for the volunteers, but also shared fun facts about water conservation at their table. Volunteers could practice their disc golf skills, courtesy of DiscGames, get their faces painted, receive a balloon animal, or play at the bubble station. Girl Scout Service Unit 123, Irving Flood Control District III. and WellMed all had information tables. The Irving Public Library returned for a third year to present three performances of a puppet show. The City of Irving Urban Forestry team helped volunteers pot tree seedlings to take home, and Parks and Recreation Aquatics lifeguards were in charge of the first aid station. A new addition to the event was live music from Arpan Barua at the pavilion.

Several City of Irving departments helped make Trash Bash a success, including Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste Services, Water Utilities and Communications. The Singley Academy Police Explorers directed traffic and kept the parking procedure safe and efficient. The Young Men’s Service League – Irving Hawks Chapter distributed supplies and helped with sign-in at the registration tables.

KIB Board President Jim Scrivner shared his thoughts about the event. “The annual Trash Bash is KIB’s biggest volunteer event, and has been held every year since 1992,” said Scrivner. “It is an outstanding opportunity for volunteers to work together to help make our community cleaner and greener. On behalf of the KIB Board and staff, I want to thank everyone who contributed in making this event a success.”

Keep Irving Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of the city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of the community, including government, businesses, churches, as well as cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations. For more information on volunteering with KIB or making an activity a “green event,” visit CityofIrving.org/284/Keep-Irving-Beautiful or call (972) 721-2175.