I am so proud of the DiRtBaGs this year. What an amazing crew of kids to be so enthusiastic about picking up litter, sorting out the recyclables and working to earn their HoWL summer camps. Thank you, everyone who participated, volunteered and supported the HoWL DiRtBaGs.

The DiRtBaG Program (Discount Rates to Boys and Girls) is HoWL’s scholarship program. The 2015 HoWL DiRtBaGs (40 local youth) cleaned up 597 bags of litter last week, of which they sorted 129 bags of recycling into bins. They covered 22 miles of streets and beaches and raised more than $6,000 for their HoWL scholarships.

Something I noticed while I was out there fishing litter from ditches (yes, I personally picked up five bags) was that there was less litter this year.

I think that means that it’s working.

In addition to the DiRtBaGs, I saw plenty of other groups and dedicated individuals doing their part. Thanks to the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, Alaska Waste, ALPAR, the Homer Chamber of Commerce and so many others for getting out on Cleanup Day.

This community amazes and inspires me.

Happy Spring,

Libby Bushell