For the third year in a row, the Keep Terrebonne Beautiful organization will be sponsoring their annual Grand Caillou White Boot Clean Up in Dulac, Louisiana, according to this article from The Houma Times.

The third annual Grand Caillou White Boot Clean Up will take place on the morning of March 18, 2023, and the event is being sponsored by the Keep Terrebonne Beautiful organization, which is a non-profit organization initially established in 2000 with a mission to empower Terrebonne Parish citizens to take personal responsibility in the prevention of litter and the beautification of Terrebonne Parish. According to their mission, the Keep Terrebonne Beautiful organization “seeks a clean, green, and more beautiful Terrebonne Parish.”

The Houma Times got to interview Billie Richard, the Executive Director of Keep Terrebonne Beautiful, about this third annual event. Richard said, “this is our third year doing it and we are really excited about it. It is headed by a great local volunteer, Jani Voisin. She is from Dulac, and this is a real passion project for her.” The interview informed the reading audience that essentially Keep Terrebonne Beautiful helps with the logistics of the clean up, such as mapping out the route, supplying bags, and a place for the garbage to go, but it is actually the work of the volunteers that makes the event special and operate so effectively.

While those wanting to volunteer and participate in the Grand Caillou Clean-Up can certainly register ahead of time at www.keepterrebonnebeautiful.org , anyone wanting to participate is certainly more than welcome to arrive at the meeting spot, which is Anchor Foursquare Church in Dulac, and they will be provided with garbage bags and allowed to assist. Participants will also receive garbage grabbers and safety equipment in order to make their clean-up easier.

Keep Terrebonne Beautiful Executive Director Billie Richard commented on their hopes for the third annual event by saying, “we really just want people to get out and help us clean up our Parish. We want the people of Dulac to be able to take pride in their home. We want to rally the whole community to help with this,” said Richard. “Litter we see in Dulac can come from up the bayou too. This clean-up is for all of us to come together and help with. We want everyone to come out and help, we are so excited!” Richard also emphasized that while the event is located in Dulac, it is actually open to all members of the community and that everyone has a responsibility to become involved and keep the parish clean.

Last year’s 2022 Downtown Terrebonne Clean-Up, that was organized by Keep Terrebonne Beautiful, was organized after Governor John Bel Edwards, in partnership with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and Keep Louisiana Beautiful, had declared the fourth Saturday of each month in 2022 “Love the Boot Day.” The event invited participants to “pledge to participate on a monthly basis and clean up your neighborhood, a park, a roadway, or another space in your community.”

Volunteering as a part of a community-wide clean-up day is widely important. This is due to the following reasons: it helps to keep our environment clean, it prevents animals from ingesting harmful materials, and it helps to beautify our community. Picking up litter also sends a strong message that we do not tolerate littering in our community. Volunteering in a group is a great way to make new friends, learn new skills, and give back to the community. Group volunteering also allows you to have a positive impact on a larger scale.

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