The West Virginia departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation will host the 18th annual Adopt-A-Highway Volunteer Appreciation Day Picnic beginning at 9 a.m. on Aug. 2 at Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County.
The picnic is organized each year to recognize the thousands of Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) volunteers who pick up litter along West Virginia’s roadways. AAH volunteers remove over 4 million pounds of trash from state highways each year. They recycle about 10,000 pounds of glass, 5,000 pounds of plastic and 8,000 pounds of aluminum annually. Currently, more than 40,000 volunteers representing in excess of 1,400 organizations keep more than 3,300 miles of West Virginia roads litter free.
Festivities on Aug. 2 will include bingo, basket weaving, a cakewalk, children’s games and other activities. Volunteers will be served lunch, catered by Snowshoe, at noon. Afternoon activities will include presentation of the annual AAH Awards and the announcement of the AAH Volunteer of the Year. Ten-, 15- and 20-year volunteers will receive lapel pins for years of service and special AAH safety vests imprinted with the number of years they have volunteered.
AAH volunteers who wish to attend this year’s picnic should call 800-322-5530 or email Sherry Thaxton at
sherry.r.thaxton@wv.gov before July 16. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their families.