San Benito trash pickup to keep streets clean

SAN BENITO — Looking for community service hours or just have a desire to help keep the streets a little cleaner?

The Rotary Club of San Benito will host its End of the Year Trash Pick Up, Saturday.

The event is part of the club’s two-year agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation’s Adopt-a-Highway program.

As part of the agreement, the organization is given set months from the department in which they must maintain their street.

Club president Alma Ortiz said the organization is required to clean its part of the highway during the set times and provide TxDOT with proof, such as photos, to remain in good standing with the agreement.

The Rotary Club of San Benito adopted a 2-mile stretch of FM 2520 during the summer.

The club was in charge of a section of Highway 77 last year, but due to changing board members the agreement fell apart.

Ortiz said the club is determined to keep up with the agreement this time around.

“It’s a neat project we do,” Ortiz said. “It’s giving back to the community.”

Volunteer opportunities are open to all residents and students needing community service hours.

Children are strongly encouraged to have a parent on-site during the cleanup.

“It’s a bonding time for the children,” Ortiz said. “They make it fun.”

The club typically receives an average of 10 to 15 volunteers to help clean up the 2-mile stretch.

“It’s always a different crowd and there is always something to do for everybody,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz said volunteer opportunities such as these help the club talk to the community in hopes of recruiting new members.

“Seeing what we do for the community kind of motivates them to be part of our club,” Ortiz said.

In the event of bad weather, the event will be postponed until Sunday.