Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful (KMVB), a six-county NYS affiliate of the national Keep America Beautiful (KAB) program, is preparing for its 22nd annual Great American Cleanup. KMVB is a standing committee of the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, Inc. (MVEDD).

KAB works to create sustainable communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound. Their annual cleanup effort is the country’s largest community improvement program. Each Spring, KAB affiliates, like KMVB, engage more than 4 million volunteers in more than 20,000 communities nationwide.

Litter is not simply unpleasant to look at; there are environmental and economic costs to litter that negatively impact local wildlife, public drainage systems, road safety and property values. The cleanup and beautification efforts of KMVB have far reaching positive impacts on the environment, our communities, and even the mental wellbeing of our residents.

Last year, over 1,700 volunteers across the Mohawk Valley collectively removed 3,100 bags of litter from parks, roadways, and waterways.

As Spring approaches, KMVB is calling on local businesses, residents, and local leaders to register a team to pick up litter and beautify our parks, neighborhoods, and waterways to surpass last year’s impressive cleanup results. The KMVB cleanup is centered around Earth Day (April 22nd), but groups are encouraged to schedule their cleanup whenever it is convenient between April and July.

Registering your clean up allows KMVB to report the impact of our region’s efforts to the KAB national office. When you register, the KMVB team will coordinate your cleanup efforts and provide you with supplies, such as trash bags and gloves. To register your team, visit www.mvedd.org/kmvb

KMVB is currently supported by the Bank of Utica, BME - Office Solutions made Simple, and Standard Insulating Co., and has received generous in-kind sponsorships from Northern Safety, PJ Green and the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority. These sponsors, along with the longstanding support of Positively Rome, the City of Utica, CABVI, the CNY Conservancy, the Utica Rotary, the Genesis Group, as well as the Otsego, Schoharie, Herkimer and Fulton-Montgomery Chamber of Commerce offices, are crucial to the success of this clean-up effort.

Sponsorship support is needed to make an impact throughout the region. KMVB is calling for interested local organizations to sponsor this year’s cleanup event through in-kind donations or financial support. Please visit our website to learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to register your cleanup.

For more information, or to report a site that needs to be cleaned or rehabilitated, email us at info@mvedd.org. You may also follow KMVB on Facebook (Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful – KMVB) for additional information. To donate funding or materials, register your team, or access our sponsorship package, visit www.mvedd.org/kmvb call (315) 866-4671.