AUGUSTA Ga. (WJBF) — Over the last several months the organization “Keep Augusta Beautiful” has been getting their hands dirty cleaning up different locations.
Keep Augusta Beautiful has one mission. Helping several locations in the Garden City with high contamination rates curb the issue. The focus now is in the Apple Valley neighborhood.
“It gives you an eyesore,” said Amicina Mack. “You go into other neighborhoods, and everything looks beautiful, and you say why mine can’t look like that.”
Now residents are discussing recycling and trash issues to improve their neighborhood.
“You can go around some of the empty homes that are owned by landlords, and you find people sleep or where they have slept,” explained Janis Holmes. “You’ll find beer cans, and you’ll find everything in that particular house.”
“If a person has an issue with the garbage collection, whom to call,” Apple Neighborhood Association president, Ronald L. Johnson. “If a person has an issue with a neighbor not maintaining their property, whom to call. Basically, it’s just to pass on information.”
Not only do the Apple Valley residents want to keep Augusta looking beautiful. They also have another thing that’s on their agenda, keeping crime down during the Summer.
“Usually what goes on in your area, it’s going to go on somewhere else,” said Johnson. “Crime doesn’t stay in one place; it goes everywhere.”
The residents tell me unkept areas bring in crime. they want their neighborhood clean from trash and crime.
“You have those individuals who are renting; that’s where the main problem comes from, the renters,” said Johnson. “They don’t care because it’s not their property.”
Keep Augusta Beautiful recently met with Diamond Lakes and Henry Brigham Community Centers. The next advisory meeting will be held at the Shared Space on June 14th at 6 pm.
Photojournalist: Will Baker
