Augusta’s Mayor Hardie Davis and North Augusta’s Mayor Briton Williams are squaring off to see what city can claim victory over trash.
The inaugural “Trash Bash at the Border” is scheduled for Sept. 18.
The event is coordinated by Keep Augusta Beautiful and Keep Aiken County Beautiful. Although designed for participants to enjoy themselves, KAB Program Manager Sholonda Smith said it has a serious message.
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“The message is, we need to take our spaces more seriously,” she said. “That means making sure we’re cleaning up after one another, or at least ourselves. We’ve got one space. We don’t have another planet to go to if we ruin this one.”
The Trash Bash follows one of Georgia and South Carolina’s favorite events, Border Bash, which returns on Sept. 17, after being canceled last year because of COVID-19.
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Smith said, “Everybody gets downtown, we have these cool things going on, vendors and food and family fun. And then, who’s going to clean this stuff up?”
That question led to the birth of Trash Bash at the Border and the mayors got on board.
Volunteers will compete for the cleanup that has the biggest impact. They will be judged on the total amount of debris collected and how many tires and other recyclable materials are removed. Points will also be scored for the most unusual item found. The cleanup will be both on land and water using kayaks and motorized boats.
The teams will also be judged on how many volunteers participate. The mayor with the fewest number will have to wear the opposing team’s shirt. He will also have to present the winning mayor with the Mayor’s Cup during a council or commission meeting.
“Great things can be accomplished when we work together and, although this is a competition, the City of Augusta is proud to team up with North Augusta and our community partners to keep the Savannah River beautiful,” said Davis. “The residents of Augusta take pride in the Savannah River, and I have no doubt we will have a great turnout so we can take home the trophy.”
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Williams said, “The Trash Bash at the Border will not only help to ensure our riverbanks on the Savannah stay litter-free, but it is a collaborative effort that brings both communities together. With that being said, I do look forward to Mayor Davis presenting me the Mayor’s Cup at our North Augusta City Council Meeting at a future date.”
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Smith said volunteers will be provided with gloves, trash bags and litter pick-up sticks. Trash Bash on the Border will be from 9-11 a.m.
To register for the Augusta team visit this website.
To register for the North Augusta team, visit this website.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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