Folksville USA Blackhawks
Sedona AZ (August 27, 2013) – In a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor, Gary Chamberlain of Folksville USA, writes that feel good anti litter clean up events yield no benefit unless coupled with aggressive anti litter education in schools, homes and businesses:
Dear Editor,
Will a new “Brand” and leaders emerge for Folksville USA and its anti litter programs?
Starting in 2009 and due to the efforts of many, our Arizona Yavapai County Adopt-A-Highway program has been energized. The future success of coordinated efforts will be determined by existing and new Yavapai County Adopt-A-Highway groups, residents, businesses, County leaders, youth groups and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) working together.
On November 16, 2013, the final Road Warriors and Folksville USA led highway litter recovery event will be conducted. Please give serious consideration to helping one of the Yavapai County Adopt-A-Highway groups and becoming part of the solution to a problem that affects the economy of Arizona, all counties, and the United States of America.
Folksville USA RVRE Kids
The efforts and results of these past five years demonstrate what is possible when people work together toward a common goal. Many County residents have been part of creating the awareness and education required to reduce highway litter and change destructive behavior of those that trash our highways. The “Road Warriors” would like to thank the residents and businesses of Yavapai County and Coconino County for their support these past five years.
It has been a pleasure working directly with the County youth groups that have gotten involved in this effort: Camp Verde – American Heritage Academy, Sedona – Verde Valley School, Cottonwood – LDS Boy Scout Troop and the Cottonwood Boys and Girls Club have made a difference in cleaning up Yavapai County.
Until regular, frequent and aggressive anti-littering and recycling messages are taught in homes, schools and businesses, the many social issues associated with littering will never be solved. Once-per-year, feel-good clean-up efforts will never yield measurable results!
BagReadyJobs could prove to be an effective program that could accomplish this anti-littering mission and may be the legacy of the original “Road Warriors” plus those who wish to carry this effort forward.
Beaver Creek AZ Trash
Our combined focus in 2013 and 2014 will be to get America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs messages and opportunities broadcast throughout the United States through all media organizations and with your help, it can be done.
Folksville USA will be publishing stories about the success of all of our efforts and exposing those who trash our Arizona veteran’s highway through any available outlet. Our nation’s veteran’s highways are memorials to those that have served our country and should be treated as such!
Gary Chamberlain Point Man for FVUSA & Road Warrior FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!
Dear Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB), Adopt-A-Highway litter groups and leaders,
Over the past three years I have received several phone calls and postings from KSB litter lifters and many ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups expressing the same frustrations many of us that pick up trash have.
They-we all are frustrated by the never ending litter issues that our town leaders and those in “power” stray away from. Why don’t our leaders do more to regularly recognize and regularly discuss this issue in city council meetings and in the paper? We clean our leaders highway, what of any significance do they do for us?
One KSB litter lifter was discussing the litter he was picking up around Sedona High School with a teach that thanked him for his efforts but when getting the students involved became part of the discussion, the teacher said they the teacher and the students were too busy.
This is one of many common examples of all our Verde Valley communities. Those few-of-us that pick trash are allowing ourselves to be USED by not expecting more or our leaders, residents, businesses and others.
We “litter lifters” are enablers!
I wonder what would happen if we all quit picking the trash up for one year? what if we never pick it up?
Would this action motivate others to get involved?
There are essentially 45 miles connecting the communities of Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona.
Why is it so impossible to find 4 people to clean each of these one-mile sections of highway three times per year when it takes less than 2 hours to clean a one-mile section?
Why can’t we find 180 people to invest 6-8 hours per year to keep the Verde Valley presentable to those that vacation here?
Where is regular, aggressive education and awareness being taught?
Is it time to let the trash build up on our highway so our town leaders get involved in taking this problem on and inspiring their communities to get involved and join those that give of their time to fight a never ending battle.
If our leaders would like to know what they could do for us, they can call me and I will give them some ideas that would make a difference to their community and volunteers …… advice is free …. but results require action.
You don’t need to pick up trash to be involved …. there is something for everyone to do ….. we need educators on this topic ….. write editorials … go into the schools, churches, businesses, clubs, civic organizations, etc.
Gary Chamberlain
Cornville AZ
thanks for what you’ve done & do
This is the current list of where the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” stories have been told in the last 6-8 weeks. Competitors working together, imagine that! Think what could happen if we all shared this story nationwide!
Who cares who gets credit?
The goal is to get this story in every state in the nation and you can help make this possible by broadcasting it far and wide. We may have 50 states but we are ONE United States of America.
Thanks to all that share this story.
National Media Stories About “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Camp Verde AZ Camp Verde Bugle – Western News & Info http://cvbugle.com/main.asp?
Cottonwood AZ Verde Independent – Western News & Info
El Paso TX Fort Bliss Fort Bliss Bugle
http://fortblissbugle.com/?s=gary+chamberlain&x=13&y=4
Murphy NC Cherokee Scout
http://www.thecherokeescout.com/articles/2013/08/13/opinions/doc520a685911532736669332.txt
Norwood CO WesternSlopeNews.com (The Sunshine Express)
http://westernslopenews.com/health/h3/pg8index.html
Sedona AZ SedonaEye.com
https://sedonaeye.com/?s=bagreadyjobs
Show Low AZ White Mountain Independent
http://www.wmicentral.com/news/latest_news/grand-opportunity-for-nation-s-youth/article_d43cc39a-0b78-11e3-80c3-001a4bcf887a.html
Troutdale OR Northwest Connection (Page 18)
http://www.nw-connection.com/archives/NWConn_Julywebversion.pdf
Folsom CA Gun Owners of California
https://www.facebook.com/GunOwnersCA
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” are opportunities for all, so contact FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com or Folksville USA, PO Box 1138, Cornville AZ 86325 or call (928) 202-1186 so we may share your stories and provide you with BagReadyJobs information and opportunities.
The following folks are part of what is required for education, awareness and participation to change the highway litter epidemic.
America the Beautiful Advocates …. You’ve been spotted
American Legion Post 25 and Faith Lutheran Church both from Cottonwood, Arizona, picked up and filled 23 – 33 gallon bags with litter on two miles of Highway 260 between Cottonwood and Camp Verde, Arizona.
They are restoring the beauty to America the Beautiful and making our community proud.
Gary Chamberlain – Vietnam veteran
Cornville Arizona
American Legion Post 135
VFW Post 6739
Watch this TV program from Prescott in two parts:
https://rcpt.hightail.com/2339524453/6107631f5e2370c4d81e0478d4d77174?cid=tx-02002207350200000000&s=19104