An initiative to keep the streets of Selma clean will celebrate its first anniversary next weekend.

It has been 12 months since Keep It Clean, Selma took to the streets for its first community clean-up day.

Amy Carmichael and Judge Bob Armstrong started the group in May 2015, and it has been growing ever since.

“We didn’t want to do it forever. We were trying to change mindsets and urge people to stop littering in the first place,” Carmichael said.

The group meets the second Saturday of every month. Anyone is welcomed to join the clean-ups, which have occurred throughout the city.

“We have a good group that always comes out. We get new people here and there, and I think we all like getting out in the community and doing something good,” Carmichael said.

She said Keep It Clean Selma has future plans of visiting schools and teaching children how important it is to not litter.

“This group is awesome and we really make a difference. There are people who take pride in Selma and we are hoping to encourage others to do the same,” Carmichael said.

Next weekend’s clean-up will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at Barrett Road United Methodist Church, located at 615 Barrett Road. T-shirts will be given away to celebrate the group’s anniversary.

“We’re really excited about celebrating our anniversary. I definitely feel awesome about it being successful,” Carmichael said.

Keep It Clean Selma member Ruth Shaw has been on board since the group was first started.

“It’s wonderful. I think the great thing about it is to go around town and encourage people to pick up after themselves. It’s not about cleaning up someone else’s mess. It’s all about getting together and as a community and fixing it,” Shaw said.