Volunteering is a way to bring those around us together, which is what René Morris, compliance coordinator and nursing department assistant at Kirkwood Community College said she wanted to bring to life through the Kirkwood Staff Association (KSA).
This year, KSA is participating in a highway clean-up event on June 21, with a second date to be determined soon, and students are invited to participate.
Morris said when she began attending KSA meetings she wanted to bring additional ideas to the table.
One of her goals was to “enhance the community as a whole, away from the classroom setting” and give the club a chance to partake in community service.
Morris then came up with the idea for the club to get involved in volunteering through the Iowa DOT Adopt-A-Highway program.
According to the Iowa DOT website, “the Iowa DOT has an ongoing partnership with the citizens of Iowa to help maintain the appearance of our roadsides throughout the state. This program also helps increase public awareness of environmental needs along Iowa highways by making sections of roadsides available for adoption.”
Morris began to dive deeper into her involvement with KSA and the Adopt-A-Highway idea. The clean-up even in June is for faculty, staff, students and anyone else who is interested, according to Morris.
AJ Richard, ASK advocate at Kirkwood said she decided to get involved in the clean-up.
“I believe it is important to step outside our homes and take care of our communities. We have a responsibility to take care of the community we live in. I want to take steps to build the world I want to live in,” Richard said.
This will be her first event with KSA, and she said it is “one step forward!”
The Kirkwood Adopt-A-Highway cleanup event is scheduled for the morning of June 21, and June 28 as a rain date.
Iowa DOT provides equipment to participants during the clean-up. The Iowa DOT also requires that the club partakes in at least two clean-up events during the year.
The Iowa DOT will also provide volunteers with safety vests, trash bags and additional items for the clean-up.
A sign is displayed alongside Highway 30, eastbound, mile markers 257.65 to 2.58.65. The sign states, “Litter removal courtesy of Kirkwood Staff Association.”
Anyone interested in helping with the clean-up can contact René Morris or check out https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0544ACAC2DAA8-48641980-ksaadoptahighway#/
Liz is a graduating second year Journalism and Mass Communications student who has been Creative Director and News Editor with the Communiqué. She also has previously worked at 88.3 Jazz KCCK as a Radio News Intern and the Corridor Business Journal as a Reporting Intern. In the fall, she will transfer to the University of Iowa with the 2+2 program. At Iowa, she will continue her journalism passions with the Daily Iowan newspaper and DITV. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, she plans to work as a Multimedia Journalist/Reporter at a station in Iowa.
Categories: Campus News, Local News, News
