Pine Level cleanup draws 26 volunteers, boosts town beautification efforts

Twenty-six volunteers gathered at the Pine Level Community Center at 8 a.m. and spent the morning hauling litter as part of a town cleanup that put local beautification and public responsibility in the same frame. The turnout included the Marbury High School football team, giving the effort a mix of residents, students and town supporters.

The cleanup was tied to Pine Level’s push to look cleaner, safer and more welcoming, but it also exposed a deeper municipal reality: keeping roadsides and public spaces presentable takes more than a one-day sweep. Mayor Bigley publicly thanked Caleb Bontrager, who helped coordinate the event as a town citizen, and the work ran with cleanup supplies and guidance from Autauga PALS. One participant summed up the effort this way: “This event reflects the heart of Pine Level.”

The Pine Level event fit into Alabama PALS’ annual “Don’t Drop It On Alabama” Spring Cleanup, a monthlong April effort open to cities, counties and communities across the state. Alabama PALS provides cleanup materials at no cost, including large trash bags, car litter-bags, brochures and related support items, making the program a practical tool for towns that do not want to carry the full cost of litter control alone.

Autauga County has paired that statewide campaign with its own spring-cleanup notice, which says the effort is meant to keep roadsides, parks and green spaces clean while showcasing community pride. The county says supplies are available at Pine Level Town Hall and other locations, and participants are asked to text Solid Waste Officer Hoyt Painter with a dropped pin showing where collected trash is located so crews can pick it up and record it. That system turns volunteer cleanup into something the county can track and follow through on.

The scale of the issue is not small. ALDOT said Alabama PALS’ Spring Cleanup spans all 67 counties, and in 2024 more than $9.4 million was allocated statewide for litter removal. That figure underscores why Pine Level’s cleanup matters beyond one Saturday morning: litter removal is a continuing public expense, and towns like Pine Level still depend on volunteers to help bridge the gap between civic pride and routine maintenance.