Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

This Saturday, KLB will offer another way you can recycle. In Hinesville, with the Rivers Alive event, there will be a Recycle It! Fair, which makes recycling easier by collecting numerous household items that cannot be dropped off at local recycling drop-off centers. The fair is scheduled for Saturday, October 25, from 9 a.m. until 12 noon at Bradwell Park, in Downtown Hinesville!

Here are the items we will recycle this weekend:

• Electronics and electronic accessories

• Cell phones and accessories

• CFLs and fluorescent light bulbs (4inches or less)

• Used motor oil and antifreeze

• Car batteries.

• Household batteries

• Printer ink and toner cartridges

• Telephone books, large sale catalogs, and books

• Household goods, clothes, and shoes (gently used, please)

• Old prescription medications and over-the-counter medications (no needles or syringes) Remember, the shred truck will not be at this Recycle It! Fair.

Rivers Alive 2025 is a crucial initiative to maintain the cleanliness of our waterways, and recycling also contributes to this goal. Our local waterways, which we rely on for drinking, swimming, and various other uses, are in need of our collective effort. This month, we have a unique opportunity to make a significant difference for clean, healthy waterways. The health of our local creeks, streams, rivers, and even the ocean is directly influenced by the choices we make every day. Your participation on October 25 for our Annual Rivers Alive events in Liberty County, can make a positive impact. Together, as a community, we can protect our waterways and make a difference.

Rivers Alive is a statewide effort to preserve and protect Georgia’s waterways. Rivers Alive events are also part of The Ocean Conservancy’s international efforts. In Liberty County, we hold our main Rivers Alive cleanup day on Saturday, October 25, which is National Make a Difference Day. National Make A Difference Day is celebrated on the fourth Saturday in October and is an opportunity for organizations and individuals to take action that impacts their community. Rivers Alive in Liberty County is a registered event for this national volunteer drive.

The health of our waterways depends on all of us. At Rivers Alive, we can make a difference as volunteers by stopping litter in its tracks at over 40 locations in our county. Trash that begins its life as litter in the west end of the county is just as devastating as trash tossed from a boat in the Intercoastal Waterway.

Unfortunately, litter travels! We have cleanups throughout the county because our community is full of wetlands, creeks, and streams. About 40% of Liberty County has wetlands, marshes, creeks, streams, and rivers. We all must take responsibility and stop litter before it journeys downstream.

Our goal is to have more than 600 volunteers this year. Last year, we had 568, and with your help, we can surpass that! We already have several groups registered with over 325 volunteers. We appreciate all the Adopt Liberty Groups and families who have registered to volunteer, but we still need you. Your participation is not just about cleaning up; it’s about personal growth and fulfillment. You can make a powerful difference in your community in just a few hours of your time on a Saturday. Your individual contribution is valued and necessary.

Thanks to our sponsor, SNF Holding Company, we also try to make these cleanups enjoyable! We will have official Rivers Alive T-shirts for the first 600 volunteers registered, so they are going fast! We also provide all the cleanup supplies for our hardworking volunteers. SNF, the county, and our local cities provide volunteers with lunch after each cleanup. We appreciate the county, the cities, and SNF for supporting this important event because these cleanups would not be possible without them. Your support and contribution are greatly appreciated.

SNF will sponsor a luncheon for all Rivers Alive volunteers after the cleanup in Riceboro. So, we invite you to join us around 11:30 a.m.

So, all Liberty County’s churches, businesses, organizations, families, neighborhoods, and civic clubs are encouraged to make a difference! Plan to participate and register now! Your participation is crucial to the success of this event. You can sign up on the Keep Liberty Beautiful website or Facebook page. If you have questions, contact us at Keep Liberty Beautiful. You can call (912) 880-4888 or email klcb@libertycountyga.gov. We look forward to your active involvement.

If October 25 does not work for you and your group, you can schedule a cleanup date that does. From Walthourville to the Atlantic Ocean, our waterways need you! Do not take clean water for granted! Join us for Rivers Alive 2025!