By Emily Enfinger | The Selma Times-Journal

Push up your sleeves — it’s time again to help keep Selma clean.

Keep it Clean, Selma has a mission to not only remove litter from the city but promote a litter-free mentality.

“We don’t want to be picking it up forever. We want to change their mindset to where people stop littering in the first place,” said Amy Carmichael, who has helped organized the cleanups.

Keep It Clean, Selma is held the second Saturday of every month. This month’s cleanup will be Saturday from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Breakfast from Hardee’s will be provided.

“For the most part it has been good participation,” Carmichael said.

She hopes to have about 20 to 30 people participate in the cleanup this weekend.

The workday will begin at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge at Water Avenue, and will continue along Broad Street.

Carmichael said having schools and churches affiliated with the cleanups helps with participation.

“I think that helps out a lot on the participation when you get a school affiliated with it or a church because our most successful days, that’s how it was,” she said.

Future dates and locations are March 12 at Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School, April 9 at Cedar Park Elementary School, May 14 at Barrett Road United Methodist and June 11 at Elkdale Baptist Church.

Carmichael said Keep it Clean, Selma volunteers will soon visit schools to speak to students.

“We’ve been really meaning to do that, and I think that’s going to make a huge difference,” she said.

Volunteers will talk to children about the importance of not littering.

“The main thing is teaching them [to] take the trash to the trash can, don’t throw your trash out. Just try to make them realize when you do throw it out other people are having to come behind you on their time to pick it up,” Carmichael said.

She thanks Keep it Clean, Selma volunteers including Kim Peake, Ruth and Victor Shaw, Julie and Carl Bowline, Clay Carmichael and Judge Robert Armstrong.

“These are the people who are always there and have helped keep it going,” she said.

For information about becoming a Keep it Clean, Selma volunteer or sponsor, contact Carmichael at (334) 267-9053 or keepitcleanselma@gmail.com.