Early to rise, early to clean.

The heat of the summer couldn’t slow down the more than 25 volunteers who met at Tipton-Durant Middle School to participate in the Selmont community clean-up day.

“We cut it short due to the heat,” said Connel Towns, Dallas County commissioner and chair for the clean-up event. “But we got a lot accomplished.”

Towns said the group began at Tipton and worked all the way to U.S. Highway 80 East picking up trash.

“I was very happy with our turn-out,” said Towns. “We got out there and worked hard for four hours, cleaning up the streets and picking up all of the trash that we saw. We really got a lot of garbage out of the streets today.”

Towns said he hoped the progress today would encourage more people to come out next weekend to continue the project.

“We had a lot of help,” said Towns. “But we are still asking for more next week. Hopefully people will come after seeing how much work we got done today.”

Sheryl Smedley, director for the Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, said she also thinks more people will come next weekend.

“I believe this encourages people,” said Smedley. “People see the changes that are in the community and that there is people who care about their surroundings. That gets you excited.”

Smedley said hoped the clean up wouldn’t just stay in Selmont, but move to Selma.

“Our goal is for people to do a double-take when they drive through,” said Smedley. “We want them to think ‘Wow. I can’t believe it.’”

Clean up will resume next Saturday.

Towns said volunteers should meet at the New Selmont Baptist Church at 6 a.m.