Darlington is spring cleaning in April!
The City of Darlington encourages its residents to take part in a month long spring cleaning effort this April.
Darlington City Council proclaimed April as Clean Up Darlington month at the behest of the Beautification Board.
“We are asking residents to take special care in April to clean, fix, paint, and landscape their properties; pick up litter on their streets and in their neighborhoods; join one of the two Community Clean Up events in April; or assist an elderly or disabled neighbor with their property this month if they are able,” says Lisa Chalian-Rock, City planning director and chair of the Beautification Board. “The citizens of Darlington are what make this town special, and together we can continue to make it a better place.”
The Beautification Board will be a major sponsor of a series of community projects taking place on Saturday, April 11, across town from 8 a.m. to noon beginning at the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce.
Projects include planting at the Public Square; spreading pine straw in barren areas of the public parking lots behind Carolina Bank Plaza and Krukr’s Specialty Shop; trimming in the alley behind Jewel’s Restaurant; painting the signs at the North Main and Washington Street City entrances as well as planting and pine straw at those locations; and working at the Darlington Library.
The bi-annual clean up days began about three years ago driven by the Kalmia Garden Study Club, and joined by the Darlington Kiwanis Club. Area boy scouts will work in Wells Park, and Darlington County 4-H will tackle Liberty Lane.
Refreshments and restrooms will be available at the Chamber, 38 Public Square, and volunteers should bring work gloves and wear clothes that can get dirty.
“If you can’t help on April 11, you can clean up anytime this month,” says Laura Burns, beautification board and garden club member. “We want everyone to come together and make Darlington look its best.”
City Council’s proclamation does more than ask people to be involved that particular Saturday. It asks residents to beautify their properties, streets, and neighborhoods all month long.
A second event is scheduled later at month’s end; the Keep Darlington County Beautiful will take part in the annual litter collection, the Great American Cleanup, from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25, beginning at Cain Elementary School and the City Street Department, 586 W. Broad St. Volunteers will receive trash bags and t-shirts at these locations and then be directed to the worst locations based on a countywide litter index taken in March.
Each year, the City and County gathers volunteers and staff to collect refuse along the roadsides and ditches . The amount of trash collected during the Great American Cleanup is weighed and measured for tracking purposes with PalmettoPride.
“With this concerted effort to beautify and clean up the City in April, we hope more people will take pride in our wonderful town.” said Rock.
