By Derek Thompson

The Selma Times-Journal

After reading negative comments on Facebook page about the trash that was downtown after the Bridge Crossing Jubilee in March, Amy Carmichael, project coordinator for Keep it Clean Selma, joined efforts with Judge Bob Armstrong to organize an effective cleanup of the town and negative attitudes toward Selma.

“Going forward we really want to emphasize the dual meaning behind Keep It Clean Selma and kind of have it resonate about the negative attitudes as well,” Carmichael said. “That goes back to having pride in our community. So many people talk about things they want to come to Selma for; restaurants, stores, activities for kids.”

Keep it Clean Selma organizes monthly cleanup campaigns in the city and encourages people to participate.

Carmichael said the people that already live in Selma have to make it better in order for more people to want to come here.

“We have to build the economy and build the industry here,” Carmichael said.

“The problem I see is how are we going to make people want to move here if the people that live here don’t even want to be here. That’s how it ties back to taking pride in our community, loving our community and speaking positively about it. That’s why we say ‘Keep It Clean Selma.’”

The organization helped clean around Hope Academy and Mulberry Road for its first cleanup day on Saturday, May 9.

“It was a pretty good success,” Carmichael said.

“We had a lot of volunteers show up, and we’ve had a lot of sponsorships from businesses in the community. We expect to have more volunteers for our next cleanup and the volunteers from last month acted like they were going to come back too.”

The organization’s next cleanup day will be June 13. Participants will start at the bypass and work their way towards the Edmund Pettus Bridge.