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Time to Showcase a Cleaner Verde Valley

Sedona AZ (February 24, 2015) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:

Dear Editor,

Thank you Neil Dixon and Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros.

gary chamberlain folksville 2014 trash 2I believe that our conversation, resulting in the story published in the Verde Independent on February 6, 2015 and the SedonaEyE.com was the reason that 102 bags of litter were collected on Highway 260 and Highway 89A this past Saturday (February 21, 2015) by the groups noted below:

Participating Highway 89A Groups between Cottonwood and Sedona: (10 bags) Verde Valley Cyclists, (7 bags) Halau Hula Na-Pua-O-Ka-Lei-‘Ilama, (12 bags) Sedona Pines LLC and (11 bags) Sedona Pines Resort.

Participating Highway 260 Adopt-A-Highway Groups between Cottonwood and Camp Verde: (29 bags) Verde Village Property Owners Association, (10 bags) Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge and (23 bags) Camp Verde FedEx Ground.

gary chamberlain folksville august 2014During our conversation, we discussed the dramatic increase in the amount of trash on our local highways in 2014 and now 2015. You ask me what Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros could do to improve this situation and I suggested that your organization promote the four times per year cleanup events that were once a regular occurrence in the Verde Valley and provide doughnuts for all of the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that cleaned our highway on those specific dates …… to which you said “YES”.

There have been many generous businesses that have supported the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups over the years and its our combined hope that other businesses follow your lead and do something to show their appreciation for the many Adopt-A-Highway groups in the area that enhance the image and economy of the Verde Valley.

Gary Chamberlain litter 16We discussed the possibilities if local businesses would consider “Adopting” one of the many ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups and offering them something of value for the task they perform picking up litter on May 16, August 15 and November 21. We discussed how these anti-litter events could be used to showcase our Verde Valley communities and how folks might be drawn to the area to witness or participate in this activity.

We discussed the November 2011 litter event published in the Verde Independent and Camp Verde Bugle that attracted approximately 300 local and out-of-area participants who recovered 404 bags of trash. We also discussed the need to rejuvenate anti-littering messages throughout our community and in our schools.

Folksville USA honored by AZ House of Representatives for youth program

Folksville USA was honored by AZ House of Representatives for its youth program

The need for the anti-littering messages of the “Crying Indian” needs to be revived for the image and economy of the Verde Valley, Yavapai County, Arizona and the nation to prosper.

If Kentucky can have the greatest garage sale mile (400) then why can’t the Verde Valley start the longest connecting sections of Adopt-A-Highway groups (what the mind can conceive and believe, it CAN achieve!) and as a Mingus HS football coach, you understand this concept more than most.

It should be noted that of the 102 bags of trash collected, 33 bags were filled by the Sedona AZ Footy Soccer team that uses this and other community activities to support their team activities.

Gary Chamberlain, Folksville USA Point Man challenges all to get involved in keeping America the beautiful with Folksville USA

Gary Chamberlain is a tireless advocate for a cleaner AZ

Thank you Neil Dixon and Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros and those that might follow your lead and may your May 16, 2015 anti-litter event include even more participants and media organization participation.

“Many hands with one goal yields results, just like team sports.”

Gary Chamberlain
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
Folksville USA and Cornville AZ

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

14 Comments

  1. Shared this article on ‎Cottonwood AZ Today’s News and Events site.

  2. Appreciate this! Also a link to below for Concerned Veterans for America:

    It’s not too late! Register for tomorrow’s #CVAsummit to discover how we can reform the #VA to better serve our nation’s heroes, including Pvt. Snuffy (pictured below). –>http://bit.ly/1vxUDer

    Can’t make it? Watch the Summit through our livestream and don’t miss a thing! –>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM7Nj6euozE

  3. Happy to be a KSB Litter Lifter for nearly 10 years.

  4. Will Wood says:

    Spread the word around Verde Valley and Sedona! Get involved everyone!

  5. Dan Carlson says:

    Shared this link with social network.

  6. Shout it out!

    Neil Dixon and Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros support a lot of community activities throughout the Verde Valley including Sedona.

    I have heard from several folks that have received support from this very modest man and his company. There are many businesses like this one as well. So if you know of a business that supports their community then I say do a shout-out on their behave. Recognizing good hearted folks with a public thank-you message goes a long way.

    THANK YOU NEIL DIXON and the SEDONAEYE.com for providing a place we can share our thoughts, ideas and with true conviction, sign our real names.

    I would encourage every business to contact one of the many ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups in the area and spoil them with something to express your gratitude for what they do to make us look better than we would without them.

    I have the contact information on many of these groups so if you contact me I will provide it to you.

    Gary Chamberlain
    “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
    Empowering our nation’s youth
    FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com

  7. in Billings Montana liked this share by Dan Carlson

  8. Dear SedonaEyE.com readers,

    SedonaEyE.com

    https://sedonaeye.com/time-to-showcase-a-cleaner-verde-valley

    Six comments is good but not great!

    Is this the best we can do about sharing and commenting on groups that make us look good and effect our local economy?

    NO wonder volunteers are in general burned out and under-appreciated. Where’s the thank you messages?

    Where are our Verde Valley Mayors on this topic? It’s time for them to weigh – in and if so please consider sending this link to your city or town mayors.

    Does their silence send a message of I DON”T care?

    Gary Chamberlain

    “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”

    Empowering our nation’s youth

    Here’s some of who you should thank.

    Verde Valley Adopt-A-Highway Groups

    Scenic Highway 89A Groups between Cottonwood and Sedona:

    Rio Verde Roverett’s, Inc. MP 355-356, Available MP 356-357, Immaculate Conception Parish MP 357-358, Knights of Columbus Council #2493 MP 358-359, Cottonwood Ranch MP 359-360, Sedona Boy Scout Troop #48 MP 360-361, Verde Valley Cyclists MP 361-362, Halau Hula Na-Pua-O-Ka-Lei-‘Ilama MP 362-363, Sedona Car Club MP 363-364, Sedona Pines LLC MP 364-365, Sedona Pines Resort MP 365-366, Central Arizona Masonic #14 Sedona MP 366-367, Sedona Shadows & Sunset Hills MP 367-368, Kiwanis Club of Sedona MP 368-369 and Rotary Club of Sedona MP 369-370.

    Highway 260 Adopt-A-Highway Groups between Cottonwood and Camp Verde:

    Mickles Custom Homes MP89A-207, Verde Village Property Owners Association MP207–209, Cottonwood WalMart Associates MP209–210, Clarkdale Verde Kiwanis MP210–211, In Loving Memory of “Pete” Thompson MP211–212, Yavapai County Inmate Work Crew MP212-213, Faith Lutheran Church MP 213-214, American Legion Family Post #25 MP 214-215, Verde Valley Rotary MP215-216, MHS Marauders Wrestling Team MP216-217, Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge MP217-218, Camp Verde FedEx Ground MP218-219, American Legion Family Post #93 MP 219-220, Friends of Coy Hughes MP 220-221, In Loving Memory of Troy V Krauter MP 221-222, Boy Scout Troop 7193 MP 222-223, Camp Verde Marshall’s Office MP 223-224, Sedona Sky Academy MP 224-225, Verde Valley Archaeology Center MP 225-226, Clear Creek RV Park MP 226-227 and Camp Verde Town Council MP 227-228.

  9. Gary, I sympathize with your plea. There are other groups that have been shunned, namely Smart Meter Awareness. More people opted out of Smart Meters than voted to approve the Sedona Revised Community Plan and yet a majority of this city council in so many words said they had heard enough on the subject. Only Jon Thompson has made a commitment to assist with that effort.

    Have you been out and out rejected by Mayor Sandy Moriarty? If so, maybe the same as Smart Meter Awareness you could find at least one willing member on the council of seven to back you up. As I was in attendance the evening you made your original pitch to a previous city council, (Rob Adams was then mayor) you made a very positive impression which I believe reaped endorsement from the city by a consensus of approval from the council. Is that correct?

    Without the efforts of you and your volunteers it’s unimaginable what our open spaces would look like. Maybe you might consider taking a photo of a legitimate garbage/trash dump as an example? It’s hard to figure why some folks just seem to have an “in” at City Hall while others are black listed.

  10. Mr. Chamberlan and everyone Thank you all !!!!

  11. and Dee Sanders and Jenny Smith give thumbs up!

  12. Dear Eddie and SedonaEyE.com readers,

    First of all, thanks for using your real name!

    Second, I have always found that opposing views alway yield a better resolution particularly when people use their real names because they have conviction in their position for the “flavor or the day topic being discussed.”

    Opposition is a good thing because it indicates the topic is important to the folks on both sides of the debate.

    Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty and I are and have been discussing a plan of attack for addressing the highway litter, recognizing the Adopt-A-Highway groups, and some minor issues.

    Currently the ball is in my court and I hope to get back to her in the next week or less. I’m very encouraged that she and the Sedona Council will do something, but that will be their choice and I’m willing to speak before their council if invited to do so.

    I’m from a family of six children and nothing frustrates me more than when we as adult siblings behave like “children in adult clothing.” This is what I see too often in the real world …. we wonder why children behave so badly …. look at the behavior of their role models, community leaders and politicians.

    I’m part of a larger effort and large number of folks that have a common goal based on “Many hands with one mission.”

    Mayor Rob Adams and Tim Ernster went out of their way several times to advance the anti-litter effort and we didn’t always agree, but found the middle ground.

    Gary Chamberlain
    “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
    Empowering our nation’s youth
    FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com

  13. Kudo’s to the businesses who support and promote ‘America and BagReady Jobs’. Not sure why more businesses don’t get involved because it’s a good way to promote and recognize efforts by various community groups AND at the same time potentially gain additional customers through a goodwill gesture.

    Parents who are involved with youth groups should take advantage of ‘BagReady Jobs’ as they can (a) raise money for their group’s cause and (b) give young people an appreciation for wanting to live in a nice CLEAN community…

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