Sheppard volunteers walk the highways

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Adawn Kelsey
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Instead of taking a Saturday to sit next to the pool or relax and watch movies, 12 Sheppard members walked a two-mile stretch of highway picking up litter scattered by the road, May 22.

The group helped clean up a portion of highway, adopted by the Naval School of Health Sciences, located near Lake Arrowhead.

Petty Officer 1st Class Prynceston Fant, 381st Training Squadron tri-service dental laboratory instructor, has had oversight of the NSHS Adopt-a-Highway program for the past two years.

"I took over this project because it is important that I take care of the place I am living in," he said.

"I usually have 15-18 volunteers that sign up and we will go out once a quarter to clean up."

He said each time a group goes out to clean up, about 200 pounds of trash is collected.

"When we go out there, I have one group start at one end and another group start at the other and then we meet in the middle," Fant said. "It surprises me how much trash we pick up every time."

Petty Officer 2nd Class Rolando Bandola, student volunteer from the 381st TRS, said he wanted to volunteer because he believes in preserving the environment.

"What I am doing now is going to improve the health for the future generations," Bandola said. "I am setting the example for others to follow, so they will help the environment stay clean, not only here but wherever they may end up in the future."

Petty Officer 3rd Class GriffinJoy Villanueva, also a student volunteer with the 381st TRS, said she feels that going out to clean up not only helps the environment, but helps boost morale as well.

"It's nice to get a group of people out of the dorms and into the community to work together on a project like this," Villanueva said. "Personally I think that it helps motivate other people to want to help clean up as well. We picked up cigarettes, cans and bottles and ended up with about 24 bags of trash."

Ben Coker, assistant public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation, said in total there are 16 groups from Sheppard that participate in the Adopt-a-Highway efforts.

"Most of the highways are within 10 miles of Wichita Falls, Texas," Mr. Coker said. "These groups save the community $16,000 annually."