Sedona AZ (May 7, 2015) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:
Dear Prescott Arizona Mayor Kuykendall,
Thank you for the following email today (May 7, 2015):
“Gary,
Prescott, Prescott Valley and Dewey-Humboldt will be presenting the proclamation at their August City Council meetings.”
It now appears that the efforts of the Adopt-A-Highway groups on Highway 89A, Highway 169 and Highway 69 will be well represented by the efforts of the Mayors of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Dewey-Humboldt.
Mayor Charlie German and Camp Verde AZ will be a great advocate for the Adopt-A-Highway groups on Highway 260.
If we are ever going to change the habits of those that litter, we need to encourage our educational system to revive anti-litter messages and teach our young folks that they hurt their future and the future of their communities by littering. They need to be taught that there is a cost to picking up other peoples messes that the taxpayers pay that includes highway signs, safety vests, litter bags, litter disposal and administrative costs to manage the program.
Will the Yavapai County mayors and elected officials be the trendsetters for a litter-free Arizona?
Gary Chamberlain
America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs
Empowering our nation’s youth
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
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Thank you Mayor Charlie German,
This is the proposed “Draft Proclamation” that was developed by Camp Verde Mayor Charlie German and has now been shared with the mayors of Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Dewey-Humboldt, Jerome, Prescott, Prescott Valley and Sedona.
With their leadership, Governor Dough Ducey, ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups, Arizona businesses, residents, civic organizations and residents working together can clean up our state and drastically improve the image and economy of each and every community.
Thanks to all of you mayors that move this effort forward.
Could you imagine the impact on our highways if every mayor in Arizona joined this effort?
DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our Nation’s Youth
PROCLAMATION
DESIGNATION OF THE 3RD SATURDAY OF FEBRUARY, MAY, AUGUST AND NOVEMBER
FOR VERDE VALLEY COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE AND PARTICIPATE
IN LITTER REMOVAL EVENTS
(DATE)
WHEREAS, the Mayors and Councils of the Verde Valley recognize the value of keeping our streets and highways free from litter, do hereby encourage each community to promote and participate in litter removal events at least 4 equally spaced times each year.
WHEREAS, the benefits of having multiple partnerships at focused times throughout the year are duly noted and encouraged.
WHEREAS, it is recommended the recognition rewards system be utilized by using the ADOT Activity Reports requested by individual communities. These reports are issued by ADOT Risk Management verifying the level of participation by the various ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups.
WHEREAS, it is intended to encourage the attendance at council meetings by all of the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups at the end of each year to receive recognition for their efforts and impact upon the local economy and bring the ongoing education of the benefits of such a litter removal program.
WHEREAS, enlisting local businesses to encourage their local youth groups to use the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” opportunity to earn their funding needs or to perform a community service requirement.
WHEREAS, that all Mayors and Councils hereby join together within the Verde Valley in declaring that Litter Removal events be held at least 4 times per year beginning on the 3rd Saturday of the following months: February, May, August and November. S
WHEREAS, that all Mayors and Councils of Yavapai County, Arizona and America join this effort to restore the true and pure beauty to Arizona and America the Beautiful.
________________________________________ ______________________________________
CHARLES C. GERMAN, MAYOR TOWN OF CAMP VERDE, AZ/DATE SANDY MORIARTY, MAYOR CITY OF SEDONA, AZ/DATE
___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
LEW COURIER, MAYOR TOWN OF JEROME, AZ/DATE DIANE JOENS, MAYOR CITY OF COTTONWOOD, AZ/DATE
______________________________________
DOUG VON GAUSIG, MAYOR CITY OF CLARKDALE, AZ/DATE
Gary Chamberlain
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
(928) 202-1186
Randall’s Restaurant Supports May 16, 2015 America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs litter event. Randall’s has been a supporter for many years! Stop in and eat great food.
Randall’s Restaurant Supports May 16, 2015 “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” litter event. We at Randall’s Restaurant in Cottonwood would like to join our community businesses in support of our local Adopt-A-Highway groups that participate in the May 16, 2015 and two other events.
Randall’s wishes to support this effort since we believe that the image and economy of our community partially depends on the efforts of the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that keep our highways clean.
As a businessman, I fully appreciate the BagReadyJobs opportunity where youth group may earn their funding and learn valuable life skills by partnering with local businesses, residents and Adopt-A-Highway groups.
Randall’s will be offering a two for the price of one breakfast to all of the Adopt-A-Highway participants of litter events occurring on May 16, August 15 and November 21, 2015. Our Saturday store hours of operation are from 7am-2pm.
As a member of the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, I hope that our Chamber of Commerce and other Verde Valley businesses will join us in our efforts to thank and reward the many Adopt-A-Highway groups that make the Verde Valley and Yavapai County more appealing to our local residents and visitors.
Randall Hauk, Owner Randall’s Restaurant
691 S. Main Street, Cottonwood, AZ
(928) 634-0043
Letter to be sent to Governor Doug Ducey.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey May 11, 2015
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Re: “BagReadyJobs & America the Beautiful” empowering our nation’s youth
Dear Governor Doug Ducey,
I’m hoping that you will consider recognizing the anti—litter efforts and results of many ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups, businesses, residents and media organizations in Yavapai County. Through these combined efforts, an opportunity was revealed and it is referred to as “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”, empowering our nation’s youth. This concept promotes the “partnering” of ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups, businesses, residents and youth groups in a manner that youth groups may “earn” their funding needs. We had and now have a group that is earning about $2,000 per year picking up highway litter four times per year at $10/33-gallon bag of trash collected.
The image and economy of Arizona will benefit from our efforts if we band together and address the litter on our highways, especially our three Arizona veteran’s highways. What people see as they travel through Arizona has a lasting impression on whether they move here, bring their business here or vacation here.
Our Yavapai County businesses and residents have supported our combined efforts that have received national attention, since they believe that they are getting something of value for their contributions (clean highways, an improved public image and economy) to the local youth groups that pick up highway litter.
I am including some recent documents to support our youth group and community involvement and we hope to share our concept with other youth groups across the United States with your participation and interaction with our elected officials and other Governors.
Over the past six years, we have had the privilege of sharing our stories in national newspapers, radio and television stations. The youth groups that have been involved in this effort are the Cottonwood LDS Boy Scout Troop, Sedona Boy Scout Troop, Camp Verde Boy Scout Troop, Cottonwood Boys & Girls Club, Camp Verde American Heritage Academy, Sedona AZ Footy Soccer team, Sedona Verde Valley School and Cottonwood Mingus Union High School.
As a Vietnam veteran, it causes me much stress to see our country looking like many third world countries that I have visited, where is our pride? Our three Arizona veteran’s highways should be an embarrassment to all of our Arizona residents!
We hope you will give this letter and its contents serious consideration and hope that you will take note of names of veterans, ADOT Adopt A-Highway groups, businesses, residents and media organizations that have been part of this effort. Our educators need to be part of the solution by teaching anti-littering and recycling messages.
Over the next few months, I will be sending you past and present news stories about our Yavapai County efforts that we hope will cause others to join the effort to restore the true beauty to “America & Arizona the Beautiful” on the third Saturday of February, May, August and November.
Gary Chamberlain, “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
P.O, Box 1138
Cornville, AZ 86325
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com (928) 202-1186
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey May 11, 2015
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Re: “BagReadyJobs & America the Beautiful” empowering our nation’s youth
Dear Governor Doug Ducey,
Enclosures to the letter dated May 11, 2015
• Folksville USA FVUSA) flier/brochure
• Photos and names of “Original 2009 Road Warriors”
• Folksville USA References
• List of Adopt-A-Highway groups on Highway 89A and Highway 260
• List of Folksville USA Supporters
• List of those that have locally and nationally published the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” story
• Requirements of the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” Empowering our nation’s youth story
• VFW “CheckPoint” FVUSA story
• American Legion “Dispatch” FVUSA story
• The Desert Shamrock FVUSA story
• Camp Verde Bugle “American Heritage Academy-Camp Verde” FVUSA story
• Sedona.biz “AZ Footy Soccer” FVUSA story
• Verde Independent September 10, 2014 FVUSA story
• White Mountain Independent June 17, 2014 FVUSA story
• Camp Verde Bugle December 25, 2011 FVUSA story
• Idaho Family “FVUSA” story
• Arizona House of Representative Nov. 2013 FVUSA recognition
• “Congress of the United States” Congressman Paul Gosar (R) FVUSA recognition June 10, 2014
• “Congressional Record” Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D) FVUSA recognition July 22, 2014
• 2013 & 2014 FVUSA poster with supporters noted on back of poster
• Photo disk picturing the litter on our “Arizona Veterans Highway” (what a shame!)
The SedonaEyE.com has reported on our efforts for going on seven years and there is a multitude of stories that may be reviewed by Googling “Folksville USA + Gary Chamberlain”
Our efforts would have not been possible without the help and support of those mentioned and many that haven’t been mentioned.
Gary Chamberlain, “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
P.O, Box 1138
Cornville, AZ 86325
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
(928) 202-1186
Dear Editor
May 16, 2015 “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” litter recovery event.
Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros would like to again provide free coffee and doughnuts for all of our local Adopt-A-Highway groups that participate in this event. To help us better serve your Adopt-A-Highway group, please call us and let us know what your group name is and how many doughnuts you need to pick up at our Cottonwood store.
We wish to continue our support of this effort since we believe that the image and economy of our community partially depends on the efforts of the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that keep our highways clean.
Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros will continue to provide free coffee and doughnuts to the Verde Valley, ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that clean our highways on the third Saturdays of February 21, May 16, August 15 and November 21, 2015. Our Saturday store hours of operation are from 8am-2pm.
We at Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros hope that other Verde Valley businesses will join us in our efforts to thank and reward the many Adopt-A-Highway groups that make the Verde Valley and Yavapai County more appealing to our local residents and visitors.
Neil Dixon, Owner Reese’s Tire & Automotive Tire Pros
2435 East State Route 89A, Cottonwood, AZ
(928) 634-5243
Sedona and Camp Verde Tire Pros joins businesses that support Adopt-A-Highway groups
May 16, 2015 “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” litter recovery event.
Tire Pro Automotive Camp Verde and Sedona would like to join our local businesses and provide free coffee and doughnuts for all of our local Adopt-A-Highway groups that participate in this May 16, 2015 event.
To help us better serve your Adopt-A-Highway group, please call us in advance and let us know what your group name is and how many doughnuts you need to pick up at our Sedona and Camp Verde store.
We wish to support of this effort since we believe that the image and economy of our community partially depends on the efforts of the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that keep our highways clean.
Tire Pro Automotive will continue to provide free coffee and doughnuts to the Verde Valley, ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups that clean our highways on the third Saturdays of February 21, May 16, August 15 and November 21, 2015. Our Saturday store hours of operation are from 8am-2pm.
We at Tire Pro Automotive hope that other Verde Valley businesses will join us in our efforts to thank and reward the many Adopt-A-Highway groups that make the Verde Valley and Yavapai County more appealing to our local residents and visitors.
Don Hanks, Owner Tire Pro Automotive
671 Finne Flat Rd, Camp Verde, AZ
3035 West Highway 89A, Sedona, AZ
(928) 567-6338