By Staci Jones | The Selma Times-Journal

Keep It Clean Selma will have its third community clean-up Saturday.

The campaign started earlier this year and is a collaboration of ideas from Blackbelt Benefit Group member Amy Carmichael and Selma District Judge Bob Armstrong.

Carmichael said that she approached Armstrong with the idea of a clean-up day, and that’s when he added the idea of not only keeping Selma clean but attitudes positive as well.

“The campaign was created not only to keep the city clean but to also clean up the negative attitudes and things that people say about Selma,” Carmichael said.

The campaign started in May and Carmichael says she hopes that it becomes an ongoing thing. So far, Keep it Clean crews have worked at Hope Academy and on the Selmont side of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Carmichael said the group wants to work in a different area each month. The August and September clean-ups will be on the west side of town.

“We want to get everywhere eventually,” Carmichael said. “Cleaning up Selma really gives people a sense of pride in the community.”

The latest clean-up will be on Saturday, July 11 at 8:30 a.m. The clean-up will last two hours and start at the Blue Jean Church, which is located at 431 Church St.

Clean-ups have been scheduled for the next three months as follows: Aug. 8 at Houston Park Church of Christ, Sept. 12 at Lion Fair Park and Oct. 10 at Bloch Park.

Carmichael hopes that the turnout continues to grow but also says that she knows it will take time.

She welcomes all residents of Selma to come out and volunteer.

For more information on locations, how to volunteer or to be a sponsor, visit Keep It Clean, Selma on Facebook or contact (334) 267-9053.