COVINGTON, Ga. – The average American family of four creates approximately 6,500 pounds of trash every year and a portion of that ends up on streets, in ditches and in neighborhood yards. The City of Covington is organizing another community cleanup to help remove trash intended for the landfill that has found its way into our neighborhoods.

In honor of Earth Day, the first Covington Cares Community Cleanup of 2018 is scheduled for April 21, in the Sand Hill/Texas Alley and Nelson Heights neighborhoods.

“Our first two Covington Cares Community Cleanup days were a great success and I am sure this upcoming event will be just as good,” Covington Mayor Ronnie Johnston said. “Our goal is to help create a clean and beautiful community, one neighborhood at a time, but we can’t do it alone. We need help from the community and this is an excellent opportunity for citizens to get involved.”

Volunteers interested in helping with the Sand Hill / Texas Alley cleanup should meet at the Grace United Methodist Church parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Citizens wishing to help assist with the Nelson Heights cleanup are asked to meet at Spillers Park off Jefferson Avenue in Nelson Heights at 11:30 a.m.

Starting Friday, April 20, residents in these two communities are encouraged to bring trash and debris of all sizes to the curb for free pickup.

“We want to give people the opportunity to discard refuse that has been accumulating in their yard and neighborhood for years and this is their chance,” City Manager Leigh Anne Knight said. “We will run a sanitation truck with a pickup claw through the Nelson Heights and Sand Hill / Texas Alley communities on Saturday.

“Residents are encouraged to continue putting items at the curb for another pickup on Monday. This is a one-time opportunity for residents to get rid of large and small items at no cost.”

Cleanup supplies will be provided and all volunteers will receive a snack, bottled water and a Covington Cares backpack.