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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor 

ALABASTER – Alabaster residents had the chance to do some spring cleaning and dispose of unwanted paper from their homes during the 12th annual Alabaster Clean Sweep.

The Clean Sweep season kicked off with a litter pickup event on April 5 which saw the Alabaster Church of Christ and Girl Scout Troop 28212 pick up 20 bags of litter and piles of junk off of two miles of roadways on 5th Ave., 9th Ave. and Goldwire Circle. The Thompson High School ROTC collected three large bags of recycled plastic bottles through a program with Alabama People Against a Littered State and the Alabaster Beautification Board.

“The 12th Annual Alabaster Clean Sweep event saw another year of success,” said Stacy Rakestraw, city council member for Alabaster’s Ward 3 and the organizer of the Clean Sweep.

The city of Alabaster held its paper shredding and electronic recycling event on Saturday, April 26 from 8 a.m. to noon with a new location this year at the parking lot of the Alabaster Senior Center at 1097 7th St. SW., Alabaster, AL 35007. The event was open to Alabaster residents only.

“The event was well attended, as we had a constant traffic flow for four hours,” Rakestraw said.

During the event, 15 THS football players helped unload cars of paper and electronics—filling ten pallet crates and an entire shredding truck.

“They were all such hard workers, so respectful and we appreciate them giving up their Saturday to help the residents of Alabaster,” Rakestraw said. “A big thank you to coach (Mark) Freeman as well for recruiting them for the past eleven years.”

Rakestraw said that Alabaster hosts the Clean Sweep each year in order to promote the beautification of the community and to raise awareness about the importance of litter prevention and to promote environmental stewardship.

“The main purpose of this event is to encourage and educate our community on the importance of being a litter-free city and the effects that trash and junk can have on our environment,” Rakestraw said.

Rakestraw also thanked Tami Boyd for sponsoring the event and participating in the Alabaster Clean Sweep as well as Lisa Glasgow, Ernie Clark and his staff, Robert McMullen, Andy Lackey and members of the Alabaster Public Works department for helping out.

“Tami Boyd was on hand to help do a little of everything, and we appreciate her and Ashleigh Springer McLaughlin sponsoring this event for three years in a row,” Rakestraw said. “Three of our beautification board members, Marie Jordan, Pam Dyer and Jenica Gilles, were on hand to direct traffic and help wherever they were needed.”

Rakestraw expressed her gratitude for the volunteers who ensured that the event ran smoothly and accomplished its goal of making Alabaster a cleaner place to call home.

“The volunteers are always one of the best parts of working the events throughout the Alabaster Clean Sweep,” Rakestraw said. “They have a servant heart and genuinely enjoy helping do whatever needs to be done to clean up and help the residents and our city.”