More than a dozen volunteers, from across the Lee/Mount Vernon area, gathered on Saturday, May 15 to remove litter alongside Franconia Road. Among them was Brenton Hammond, the GOP nominee for Virginia’s House of Delegates in District 43. “It was a beautiful day for a great event,” the candidate said.

The service project was organized by the Knights of Columbus Council #9407, based at St. Lawrence Church on Franconia Road. The Knights do roadside litter removal on a regular basis through VDOT’s “adopt-a-highway” initiative. Volunteers provide the manpower; and VDOT furnishes the safety signs and trash bags. In addition, VDOT workers later come and remove the filled bags.

“I want people to know it’s not some big group, some ‘them,’ doing this,” volunteer Lois Gloor told local Patch writer (and candidate in District 39) Maureen Brody.

“Lois is right about adopt-a-highway: it really is just small pockets of individuals banding together to improve the community,” Brody noted.

To get involved or just learn more, visit KeepingVirginiaBeautiful.org.