Keep Louisiana Beautiful event results tallied

More than 760 leaders from every corner of the state participated in the third annual Leaders Against Litter event on March 18.
The participants included Gov. John Bel Edwards, first lady Donna Edwards and Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.
More than 8,820 lbs. or 441 bags of trash and 5,358 cigarette butts were picked up and leaders pledged to preserve and protect Louisiana by agreeing to Stand Up, Speak Up and Pick Up for a litter-free Louisiana.
The cleanup was held in Eunice where 54 people collected 30 bags of trash, according to Donna Baltakis, director of Keep Eunice Beautiful. There 103 leaders and volunteers who signed the pledge against littering.
After the cleanup, Nungesser held a press conference in the State Capitol in Baton Rouge to announce the results and to call all citizens to do their part to protect and preserve our beautiful state. In addition to Nungesser, speakers included Executive Director of Volunteer Louisiana Judd Jeansonne, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality Dr. Chuck Brown, Secretary of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Dr. Shawn Wilson, Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain, Louisiana State Police Capt. Doug Cain and KLB board and advisory board members Andy Johnson, Susan Strain, Jean Kelly, Venise Ortego and Phyllis Darensbourg.
“This event was a huge success, and we are grateful for the exceptional support displayed by our state’s top leadership and our state agency partners. We are especially thankful to the governor, Mrs. Edwards and the lieutenant governor for their participation. Keep Louisiana Beautiful effectively raised awareness about Louisiana’s litter problem while also taking strides to improve it,” said KLB Executive Director Susan Russell.
Twenty Keep Louisiana Beautiful affiliates participated, including Abbeville, Assumption, Baton Rouge, Covington, East Feliciana, Eunice, Hammond, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Mandeville, Natchitoches, New Orleans, Slidell, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne and West Baton Rouge.
Affiliates will be conducting community-wide cleanups through May. To get involved in the next cleanup, visit www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org.