SUMTER, S.C. — The first of at least five community clean up days kicked off Saturday in Sumter as community leaders alongside volunteers worked to clear trash, worsened by the coronavirus pandemic and seen across the state.
“It was a success,” Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Adrienne Sarvis said. “Over 400 bags of litter was picked up.”
Multiple communities were targeted for clean up, according to Sarvis.
The following were areas of focus:
- U.S. 15 South near Lakewood Links Subdivision
- Catchall Masonic Lodge, Catchall Road
- Pinewood Town hall, 130 Epperson St. in Pinewood
- Rembert Community Center, 4050 S.C. 261 North in Rembert
- Mayesville Post Office, 4650 Florence Highway in Mayesville
- Hillcrest Middle School, 4355 Peach Orchard Road
- Dalzell United Methodist Church, 3330 Black River Road
- St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church, 1690 South Guignard Parkway
- Pine Grove A.M.E. Church, 41 Pine Grove Road in Rembert
- Continental Tire, U.S. 521 South
- Sumter Vocational Rehabilitation, 1760 N. Main St. (Team of SCSO detention officers)
- Sumter Coatings, 2410 U.S. 15 South
- Dubose Fire Station, 3805 U.S. 15 North
They collected, “fast food containers, cups, plastic bags… discarded tires” and more, Sarvis said. “Just kind of the normal trash that you would see that you shouldn’t see.”
She’s hoping others will be encouraged to clean outside of formal events.
“You know, as a community, or as a neighborhood, or a business everyone can get together and clean up areas around where they live or where they work,” Sarvis said. “It can be something small. So, we encourage people to do that.”
The City of Sumter is hosting future clean up days every two months. To register visit SumterSC.gov/Litter.