ASHEBORO, NC - The North Carolina Zoo will again coordinate this year's fall Big Sweep activities in Randolph County on Saturday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. until noon.
Now in its seventh year, North Carolina Big Sweep is the nation's first state-wide litter prevention and cleanup campaign and is again allied with the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup.
Annual participation in the county event has increased from 107 volunteers, who collected 3,800 pounds of litter in 2004, to the 1,621 participants who collected almost 50,000 pounds of litter in 2009. More than 18,000 people participated statewide last year.
Of the 10 clean-up sites across the county, five need additional help: (1)Franklinville, where volunteers are asked to meet at 10 a.m. at the picnic shelter in downtown Greenway Park; (2)Archdale at Creekside Park, where volunteers are asked to meet at 10 a.m. just outside the Community Center Building; (3)the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA (9 a.m. at the picnic shelter on the "Y" grounds next to the flag pole); (4)Asheboro (10 a.m. at the city ball fields on the east end of Pritchard Avenue); and (5)Randleman at the Deep River Park on Presnell Street (10 a.m. at the picnic shelter).
All cleanups will run "rain or shine." Volunteers should wear old, closed-toed shoes (no flip-flops) and should bring drinking water, gloves, insect repellent, a hat and sunscreen.
There is additional Facebook information at "NC Big Sweep of Randolph County." Also, call 336-879-7000 for more information.
The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment & Natural Resources, Dee Freeman, Secretary; Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor.
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