Saturday's wind and rain didn't dampen the spirits of volunteers picking up litter as part of Opelika's citywide cleanup.
The event is hosted by Keep Opelika Beautiful, a local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.
Each year, KAB holds the Great American Cleanup from March 1 to May 31.
Communities around the nation organize and participate in recycling and cleanup projects.
In 2010, more than 3 million volunteers in 33,000 communities collected 76 million pounds of trash.
"With the trees blooming and the grass getting greener and more flowers popping out every day, it's an important time for us to clean up trash," said Tipi Miller, director of KOB.
Opelika's distinction as a Tree City USA could be lost if even a few pieces of trash are seen in the city, according to Miller.
Although bad weather did lower this year's attendance, Miller said she is still pleased with the progress.
"I'm fortunate to have so many great team captains from different organizations that know how to motivate people to get involved and stay involved," Miller said.
The bulk of volunteers come from Opelika High School, where participants earn service points for their work.
Local civic organizations like the Lions Club and Rotary Club also participate.
Many of these groups also work with the Adopt-A-Mile program. Saturday was one of several days this year that the Lions Club will clean its adopted mile along Frederick Road.
"We're out here to make things more presentable," said Grady Carroll, co-chairman of the Opelika Lions Club. "If nothing else, it feels good to make Opelika even more beautiful."
Jerome Couch, chairman of the Opelika Lions Club, said snow didn't stop him from participating in the cleanup five years ago.
"It's just about giving back to a city for all the things they've given us," Couch said.
"We give back because they provide police protection, fire protection, a dedicated City Hall and other things we sometimes take for granted."
Miller said the event is also a learning opportunity for citizens.
"If you're out there picking up litter, you're less likely to drop litter because you know how much work it takes to pick it all up," Miller said.
East Alabama Medical Center and Glad assist by donating gloves and trash bags. The Opelika Exchange Club feeds volunteers at the Opelika fairgrounds after the event.
Miller said these contributions, along with no shortage of volunteers, help keep the focus on the environment.
"It doesn't really take much," Miller said. "We have a strong group of volunteers in our community and leaders that just rally for the good of our city."
KOB's next event, Garden in the Park, will be March 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This annual arts and crafts festival will take place at the Opelika Municipal Park.
Envision Opelika and the Lions Club will also be hosting events that day in conjunction with KOB.
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