Folksville USA Cash for Trash program photo by Brent Geer Maupin c2012
Sedona AZ (October 5, 2012) – In a Letter to the SedonaEye.com Editor, Gary Chamberlain, Folksville USA, writes of the continuing success of the recently launched Folksville USA Litter-Aid Stand 101 and Trash-4 Cash programs:
Dear Folksvillers,
Folksville USA Litter-Aid Stand 101 and Cash-4-Trash has been developing opportunities for the youth of our communities to earn money while developing a strong work ethic and appreciation for the values of civic responsibility.
The success of the young people mentioned here is heartwarming and should be applauded. These kids care about their communities and work hard picking up after people who illegally litter America’s highways and byways! These kids are amazing and worthy of our support and our respect!
The Cottonwood Boys and Girls Club earned $100 for picking up trash. One of the Boys and Girls Club young adults received $105 for an essay about their experience with the Folksville USA Trash for Cash program and the club has been offered another $100 when they pick up ten more bags of trash! This week you will read about the Cottonwood Boys and Girls Club in the SedonaEye.com and see photographs of the club at work. Watch for this exclusive story.
Rachyl Hardman, Vernal Utah took on the Folksville USA project to earn money to participate in a cheerleaders contest in London England. Rachyl was given money by local Utah businesses and by Folksville USA to get started. Local television station, Vtv, helped launch Rachyl’s effort with an interview. Watch the Rachyl Hardman Vtv interview using this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EavKtgutY9Y.
Rachyl Hardman of Utah and the virtual town of Folksville USA earns cash for a London England trip by picking up trash
The Rachyl Hardman story has been provided to the Camp Verde High School in Camp Verde, Arizona because a few young adults at that school are trying to go to London as well. What a great opportunity for CVHS young adults to work and earn money! Let’s be supportive.
Litter-Aid and Cash-4 Trash donation forms will be distributed to area businesses for use when organizations and charities ask those businesses for store merchandise and or service donations. Now businesses can offer a “Pick up a bag of trash or more, earn $10 or more in store merchandise or services!” Everyone will benefit – stores and businesses will provide a means for those that ask for free goods and services to actually earn the goods and services! A win-win for businesses struggling in this economic downturn and help for organizations and charities needing goods and services for fundraisers! All will benefit.
Contact Folksville USA at 928-202-1186 for more information.
Don’t forget that on November 17, 2012 to join Folksville USA’s all volunteer community clean up day! It’s the last scheduled Folksville USA 2012 clean up day and it will be our best. We’re excited that you will be joining us.
Remember, littering is against the law. Keep America and Arizona highways and byways untouched by the public health menace of trash. Litter is a health and safety issue for all.
If you are an individual or business/organization wanting more information or to join the Folksville USA Litter-Aid Stand 101 and Trash-4 Cash programs, email or call today. Your support is appreciated.
Gary Chamberlain Folksville USA folksvilleusa@gmail.com
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Hi Gary,
If you or any or your team would like to join forces to cleanup Cottonwood-Verde Village on Sat. Oct. 27 from 8-12 noon, please let me know!
We would welcome your team’s help! I anticipate between 200-300 volunteers will be engaged in the massive community-wide Cottonwood-Verde Village cleanup on Oct. 27.
We will also be cleaning up the yards at homes of 12 to 15 seniors or adults with disabilities who called our hotline for assistance. They are unable to help themselves. FOC volunteers do yard cleanups and minor home repairs (exterior painting; ramps, rails and fences; weatherization and yard care) in partnership with Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity, and the LDS church.
Best Wishes,
Sherry Twamley
Director/Organizer
For Our City (FOC) Volunteer Coalition
for Community Cleanups and No Cost Minor
Home Repairs and Yard Care for Seniors and Adults
With Disabilities at No Cost
(928) 639-1666
sherrytwamley@msn.com
October 15, 2012
Governor Janice Brewer & ADOT Director John Halikowski
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Re: Restoring the beauty and slogan to “America the beautiful” and the revival of our National Adopt-A-Highway Programs
Dear Governor Brewer and Director Halikowski,
As a taxpayer, I will be requesting the 2012 ADOT Adopt-A-Highway “Activity Reports” for 50 Verde Valley Adopt-A-Highway Groups. As a taxpayer, it will be my 2013 goal to insure that the Director of ADOT instructs those that are part of the Arizona Adopt-A-Highway Program to honor their commitment or have their highway signs removed!
This information was taken from ADOT’s Adopt-A-Highway web site on May 26, 2012:
Volunteer groups.
adopt a two mile section along available State, Interstate, or United States highway. Groups sign up by completing a two year permit application. We generally ask that groups perform cleanups three to four times each year. Members of the Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program should be volunteers and not paid to pick up litter. Groups can partner with other volunteer groups, but may not pay another group or company to pick up litter.
ADOT will provide safety training, trash bags, and two signs to be used at each end of the adopted section. Signs will ONLY be installed once a cleanup activity is completed. If safety vests are not available from ADOT, the volunteer group must purchase them. Washable safety vests can be obtained from local vendors.
More information about becoming an Adopt a Highway volunteer can be found under the Volunteer link in the left hand navigation menu.
Comment to requirements: Three to four times per means that each group will spend approximately 9-12 hours per year in exchange for their Volunteer Group name shown on a sign at each end of their highway section. Other costs to the taxpayers is for four steel posts to hold the two signs, four holes dug in the ground for the four posts, concrete to secure the four sign posts, asset tags on each group sign for monitoring the signs and salaries paid to the Director of ADOT and Arizona employees to properly manage the Adopt-A-Highway Program! Factor in safety vests, litter bags, administrative costs, safety videos, gifts, rewards and other not so obvious costs, this program costs dearly and the intended results is marginal at best!
As a taxpayer, I am willing to work with but not dependent on the ADOT Managers for the nine Arizona districts that are paid employees to ensure that the taxpayer funded Adopt-A-Highway Program serves its intended purpose! As a taxpayer, I’m going to see that all of the selected 50 Arizona Adopt-A-Highway groups that have honored their commitment in 2012 are recognized for their efforts and request that those that haven’t honored their commitment have their signs removed!
As a taxpayer, I’m not willing to pay for Adopt-A-Highway Groups that want to have the taxpayers provide 2 signs for free advertisement and there are many Arizona citizens that now see the taxpayer funded ADOT managed Adopt-A-Highway Program as a failure. As I traveled the USA this Summer telling our FVUSA story and having it published in many out-of-state papers, the common comment from citizens was that their state has a failing Adopt-A-Highway program and they want their state employees to be held accountable for insuring the program has a cost benefit to the taxpayers of their state.
America needs role models that practice what they preach and “commitment” is one of life’s lessons our youth and many adults have lost track of.
If Kentucky can have a 400 mile garage sale, why can’t Arizona have the longest mileage highway cleanup event and challenge the other 49 states to join us (strength in numbers)?
We could have some fun while we restore the beauty to Arizona and America starting with our next “Leaping Frogs” Litter event scheduled for November 17, 2012 by connecting consecutive Adopt-a-Highway groups throughout Arizona. The Verde Valley Adopt-A-Highway group effort is one your office should investigate and recognize since most of these groups are the role models for the Arizona Adopt-A-Highway program.
Respectfully,
Gary Chamberlain, Arizona taxpayer *** “Point Man” FVUSA ***
folksvilleusa@gmail.com
Will Arizona’s Adopt-A-Highway Groups set a record on November 17, 2012?
On November 19, 2011, Northern Arizona’s Verde Valley Adopt-A-Highway groups collected 404 bags of trash and two bed mattresses on 30 consecutive miles of Highway 260 and Scenic Highway 89A.
On November 17, 2012 Folksville USA is inviting all of the Counties of Arizona to participate in a statewide Adopt-A-Highway event to “Occupy our highways” and clean up Arizona’s highways.
Each individual Arizona County is encouraged to energize their Adopt-A-Highway groups to be part of this statewide effort and set a record for the greatest number of Adopt-A-Highway Groups representing their county and the greatest number of bags of trash collected during this one-day event and report their/our results to Governor Brewer for review.
If Kentucky can have a 400 mile garage sale event can Arizona have the largest Adopt-A-Highway event?
Folksville USA is proposing that ADOT and Folksville USA evaluate the results of all counties to determine which county had the greatest number of Adopt-A-Highway Groups and the greatest number of bags of trash collected by those participating in this restore the beauty to our highway effort. The winner of this effort co-lead by all of Arizona’s Adopt-A-Highway Groups will be based on the greatest “average number of bags” per groups in that county.
The ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Group “Activity Reports” and the number of bags of trash recovered and stated on these reports will determine the winner of this event. As residents of Arizona, we all are winners with a cleaner state.
Questions regarding ADOT participation in this statewide effort should be addressed to Don Cassano, ADOT Ombudsman, (602) 712-4371 Office,(602) 377-3450 mobile or DCassano@azdot.com. For this event to be a success it must be safe and that safety is dependent upon ADOT mowing the highways prior to the event.
With or without ADOT’s support this event will be publicized to the fullest extent the media will allow and the mission will be carried out by our Adopt-A-Highway groups statewide….. “Strength in numbers!”
Gary Chamberlain, “Point Man” for Folksville USA may be reached at FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com or you may call (928) 202-1186 with any questions, comments or concerns about how to get involved. For those ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that need suggestions on media contacts, that information can be provided.
The ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups participating in this statewide effort are responsible for promoting and encouraging those of legal age to join their effort. All ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups will need to provide their contact information so those that wish to join them may do so. The ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Groups should contact their ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Manager and let them know that your group is planning on being involved in this self-managed and statewide event. Self-managed is defined as each ADOT Adopt-A-Highway group determining the outcome of their group. The participating Adopt-A-Highway groups need to contact their local media organizations and convince them to help promote this effort.
If established ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Groups invite legal aged residents to assist them with their effort, this is an opportunity for those assisting the Adopt-A-Highway Groups to solicit donations from their local businesses for each bag of trash they collect (see attached for guidelines associated with the FVUSA Restore the beauty to “America the beautiful”, Litter Aid Stand 101, Cash 4 Trash effort). The Cottonwood Boys and Girls Club earned $100 for the bags of trash they collected and $105 for a essay written by participating in the August 18, 2012 “Leap Frog” Adopt-A-Highway event.
The Fruita Times of Fruita Colorado published a recent Folkville USA story that was greatly appreciated. However I would like to qualify my comments by saying that “not all” organizations requesting donations offer nothing of value in exchange for those donations – but many do not, according to those I spoke with this summer.
The comments about donations not going “full circle” were the comments expressed by many business owners I visited with this summer while on a 9,000 mile trip throughout the United States (14 states in total).
A perfect example of not giving back are the many food banks that make life easier for those that struggle.
In 2010, FVUSA gave 160 hams and chickens to a food bank that agreed to make it a requirement of those that received them to participate in one highway cleanup event; not one person who received these items honored the commitment given.
FVUSA’s thought was that if those in need have time, energy and gas to receive generous offers, then why aren’t they giving back in ways that show appreciation for what the community and others do for them?
Full Circle benefits must be required and or expected, shouldn’t they? The Trash for Cash program offers more than charity, it offers opportunity and a decent return for community service to supplement household funds.
Gary Chamberlain
Owner FVUSA
Boy talk about puffing your own panties. I read the article and was quite interested. Then, I read Gary’s own comment (a letter to the Governor and ADOT Director John Halikowski and numerous other comments to his own article. Why not have just included them in the article? And for pete’s sake, how about doing something nice without having to throw everyone and their dog under the bus. I’m all for accountability, but please get off your soapbox Gary.
Robby,
I’ll get off my box when the folks in Arizona take action against those that trash our highways and especially our Arizona Veterans Highway … the Arizona Veterans Highway isn’t a dumping ground for residents, tourists and ADOT …. or is it!
Most folks either don’t care, know how to care or even care about the “abuse” that ADOT has brought to our veterans memorial highway. Do you realize that ADOT manages the taxpayer funded Adopt-A-Highway Program and then they trash it ….. go take a look.
Robby do you care enough to put your words into some form of action? Share your plans to clean up our Arizona Veterans Highways …. maybe we could start something that would make a big difference or are you just a complainer.
One day soon you will know more about why I care about the slogan “America the Beautiful” and the price our veterans have paid. Robby, what are you going to do to help the situation?
Gary Chamberlain
Cornville AZ – USA
Vietnam veteran