KIB Celebrates 31st Annual Trash Bash
409 Volunteers Participate at T.W. Richardson Grove
(IRVING, TEXAS)— T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635, was the site of the Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) 31st Annual Trash Bash, the organization’s signature cleanup event. A total of 409 volunteers gathered at the park on Sept. 24, with a focus of stopping litter from reaching the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The volunteers totaled 1,227 hours of service and collected 860 pounds of trash and 410 pounds of recyclables. During KIB’s virtual cleanup, 77 volunteers served 59.5 hours and collected 55 pounds of trash.
Mayor Rick Stopfer officially proclaimed Sept. 24 as “Trash Bash Day in Irving.” The event also was part of National Public Lands Day when thousands of volunteers engaged in similar projects across the country.
KIB partnered with Crisis Ministries of Irving for their annual canned food drive during the city’s Trash Bash event. Volunteers who brought a food donation received a KIB T-shirt. A total of 376 pounds of food was collected to benefit those the local community.
Following the cleanup, volunteers from Nueva Vida Church prepared and served a hot dog lunch and chips were donated by Frito-Lay.
During the day, attendees had the opportunity to visit a variety of vendors at the park. Barry Allen brought a collection of reptiles. The City of Irving Water Utilities shared fun facts about water conservation. The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas offered STEM activities and program information at their table. Randy Mecca of DiscGames, whose focus is the therapeutic and recreational value of disc golf for wounded warriors and others with physical challenges, set up an area where volunteers could test their disc golf skills. Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages brought Coca-Cola products for the volunteers to enjoy, and the Irving Flood Control District III and Level Pathways had information tables. The Irving Public Library gave three performances of a puppet show, while the City of Irving Urban Forestry team helped volunteers pot tree seedlings to take home.
Several city departments helped make Trash Bash a success, including Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste Services, Water Utilities and Communications. The Singley Academy Police Explorers directed traffic and kept the parking procedure safe and efficient. The Young Men’s Service League – Irving Hawks Chapter distributed supplies at the registration tables.
KIB Board President Scott Wilson provided safety instructions to the volunteers prior to the cleanup. “The Trash Bash has been an Irving tradition since 1992,” said Wilson. “It provides an opportunity for people who share a common goal of making our community cleaner and greener to gather together and make a positive, impactful difference. On behalf of the KIB Board and staff, I want to thank everyone who came out to help make this event a success.”
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Keep Irving Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of the city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of the community, including government, businesses, churches, as well as cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations. For more information on volunteering with KIB or making an activity a “green event,” visit CityofIrving.org/284/Keep-Irving-Beautiful or call (972) 721-2175.