Volunteers help clean up the town

Armed with trashbags, gloves, fluorescent-colored vests, and in many cases, donuts, dozens of Portales citizens were up early on Saturday morning to help clean up the town during the eighth annual Great American Clean-Up.

Approximately 17 organizations showed up with crews to pick up litter along the Clovis and Roswell highways, around town and in city parks.

As Leroy Thomas helped more than a dozen Portales Rotary Club members pick up trash along U.S. 70, filling up a trailer bed full of bags in the process, he said, “It is sad that there is a lot of trash out here. You would think people would be more conscious. I’ve picked up at least 15 plastic bottles this morning. Plastic bottles and aluminum cans do not degrade.”

Thomas said the Rotary Club picks up trash along U.S. 70 at least twice a year, once during the Great American Clean-Up, and he said his group usually comes back with at least two to three trailerloads.

Habitat for Humanity had a crew of about six volunteers helping clean up along the county line on U.S. 70. Volunteer Jennifer Bruening of Cannon Air Force Base, said, “I came today because I just wanted to help out Habitat for Humanity.” She said that with recent winds and rains, she expected to see more trash along the highways.