Shawnee State Park and Forest began its annual cleanup week Monday. The event, held to bring awareness to the amount of litter along the forest roads, will last through April 2.

“We coordinate the event through the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District. They provide the gloves and trash bags,” Shawnee State Park Assistant Manager Mark Hoffines said.

Some of the event sponsors include Shawnee State Park and Shawnee State Forest, Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District. Xanterra Shawnee State Park Lodge, Friends of Shawnee State Park, Scioto County Clean Team, Friends of Scioto Brush Creek, Boy Scouts of America, Shawnee Natures Club, Adams and Scioto County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, West Portsmouth IGA, Pepsi and several others.

“We came out today (Monday) because we wanted to help the community,” said Ali Hammonds, a member of the Portsmouth West Key Club. “We enjoy volunteering and thought this would be a good way to do that today.”

Portsmouth West students had the Monday off school because of a waiver day. So, Hammonds and four other volunteers volunteered their time.

“It’s better than sitting around at home,” Hammons said.

Groups that are interested in helping out during the week should visit the park office and select a cleanup location.

“We will issue those (groups) trash bags and gloves for protection. We will give the groups training on things they may not want to pick up,” Hoffines said.

“Everyday, when I get up it’s all about trash,” said Jeff Crippen, litter control crew supervisor with the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District. “I don’t understand how people think it’s OK to throw stuff out the car window. I don’t see the purpose in throwing trash out the window. It’s just so beautiful out here and all of this litter does not need to be out here,” Crippen said.

Crippen and his crew will come along after volunteers and pickup the bags of trash groups gather and properly dispose of it.

Crippen said volunteers will not likely encounter discarded washers and dryers, due to the high price of scrap metal. “I seen some boys on Carry’s Run the other day, pulling a washer up a hill, so they could scrap it,” Crippen said. “In a way it makes my job easier but there is still a lot of paper and trash on the sides of the roads.”

During the 2010 clean-up, we had 148 volunteers worked 387 hours picking up litter in Shawnee State Forest and Park.

“This is good for our community to come together and work on a project like this,” said Jenny Richards, a naturalist with Shawnee State Park. “This is our park, we (everyone) own it. So, it’s our responsibility to help keep it clean. It’s important we all do our part to take care of our Earth.”

For more information or to sign up a group, call Richards at (740) 858-6652.