U.S. Air Force Capt. Claire Jarry, 20th Operations Support Squadron weather flight commander (center), gives a safety brief to Adopt-A-Highway volunteers from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Sept. 7, 2012. The participants are members of the Company Grade Officers Council, and cleaned up litter on both sides of a one-mile stretch of highway. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Earon Brown/Released)
Members of the Company Grade Officers Council pick up trash along a one-mile stretch of highway, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Sept. 7, 2012. The group collected and bagged trash along both sides of the highway in conjunction with the state’s Adopt-A-Highway program. (U.S. Air Force photo courtesy of Capt. Claire Jarry/Released)
by 2nd Lt. Earon Brown
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
9/11/2012 - SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Volunteers from the Company Grade Officers Council here took part in the Adopt-A-Highway program, Sept. 7.
The participants covered both sides of a mile stretch of highway, finding and bagging garbage that accumulated there.
"It is a commitment that the CGOC have taken on," said Capt. Claire Jarry, 20th Operations Support Squadron weather flight commander. "We have a two year contract with the Adopt-A-Highway program. Our commitment is to clean up this stretch of Stamey Livestock road, three times a year."
According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation website, the state's Adopt-A-Highway program began in 1988. Each of the 46 counties in South Carolina has its own coordinator, who helps group leaders establish and follow through with their commitment.
Those eligible to take part in the program, include businesses, churches, schools, civic organizations and any other groups of this kind. Giving individuals and concerned citizens the opportunity to help keep their community and state clean has lead to much success for the program, as explained on the SCDOT website.
"We do it to give back to the local community and help beautify one of the major roads here in Sumter," said Jarry.
The Adopt-A-Highway program is just one of the CGOC's community service based projects. The next clean-up is scheduled for the winter time frame.
"For any lieutenant or captain who wants to do community service, the CGOC is a great place to do it," added Jarry.
For more information on the SCDOT Adopt-A-Highway program visit (http://www.scdot.org/getting/community_adopthighway.aspx).
