Volunteer’s guide to inspiring change

It’s an easy club to join, and you’re invited!

We’ve rolled out the virtual red carpet for 17 new Adopt a Highway Volunteer groups who signed on during the last quarter, Aug. 1–-Oct. 31. 

The image above tells a story of the people who adopted a mile or more in celebration of life and community spirit. Whether it is to honor someone special or to improve Arizona for all to experience, these volunteers are cleaning up litter as a way to give back.  

Special thanks goes to four celebrated group leaders who scheduled cleanups in the communities of Klagetoh, Greer, Chinle and Page. Combined, they filled 153 trash bags. That’s about 2,100 pounds of trash removed from along 62 miles:

• Blaire
• Klagetoh Community Cleanup
• The Miracles of Fountain Hills
• In memory of Eric and Nolan Todacheeny
• Jadi Habitiin Enterprise

We’ve got lots of stories of dedicated volunteers in the Adopt a Highway News and a recent story here about one of today's celebrated groups that made a significant reduction in highway litter by adopting a mile for only a day. 

We’ll install volunteer recognition at each end of an adopted mile after a group reports its first cleanup. The signs are a public display of appreciation for valued volunteers, and it inspires others to seek volunteer opportunities along state routes throughout Arizona. 

The Adopt a Highway Volunteer program relies on group leaders to report the number of hours spent along the adopted mile, the number of trash bags filled and the number of volunteers who pitched in after each cleanup. In return, ADOT measures the remarkable service volunteers provide and reports it to our readers.   

If you’d like to join an ADOT hosted cleanup in the Phoenix area or adopt your own mile somewhere in Arizona, please visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway. Picking up trash offers the positive change we all want to see in the world around us.