By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Around 60 Selma citizens awoke early on Saturday to help clean the streets of Selma as a part of the fourth monthly Keep It Clean, Selma cleanup day. The clean-up crew met at the Houston Park Church of Christ on Crescent Hill Drive at 8:30 a.m.

Clean-up participants battled through the summer heat, laughing and smiling while picking up litter knowing the good they were doing for their community.

“It is taking pride in our community by keeping it clean, make people want to live here and be happy to be here and clean up the negativity as well and what people say about Selma,” said organizer Amy Carmichael.

The cleanup took place down Old Orrville Road toward Dallas Avenue and Cahaba Road.

Lauren Henry, one of the participants, said she was excited about all the people who showed up and believed a few hours of clean up made a positive change in the community.

“When I’m driving by, I see trash and I want to stop, but collectively it’s not only just fun to do, but we’re really making a difference in large numbers,” Henry said.

As five high school students walked down Dallas Avenue picking up trash, they decided to play a game: who can pick up the most interesting piece of trash?

While the students had fun joking around with each other, they were serious about cleaning up Selma. One of the students, Mason Kendrick from Meadowview Christian, said his football team decided to support a good cause.

“As a school, our football team got together and we thought it would be a good idea to give back and help the community and set a good example for others,” Kendrick said.

Around 10 a.m., truck beds filled up with bags of trash and drove back to Houston Park Church of Christ to unload. It was a successful day beautifying the community one piece of trash at a time.

“I was very pleased with the turnout,” Carmichael said. “We’ve had a great response from the community on these cleanup days and I think that we’ll get even more in the fall as it cools down a little bit and school starts back.”

Keep it Clean, Selma will have clean-ups every second Saturday. The next clean up with be Sept. 12.