It is summertime in the Southwest. No better time to think about fresh lemonade, which reminds me of the proverbial phrase spoken by optimists. 

Volunteers are some of the most optimistic people I have met. As sure as Independence Day approaches, volunteers are making lemonade—at least in the metaphorical sense. 

The items shown in the photo collected by the Prescott Litter Lifters are the type of Americana collected along state highways. We'll call them lemons for today's story. Lemons are not the menacing paper and plastic variety of litter, but the type of lost items that might have something interesting to say if they could speak. Like an elf hat. Would Santa’s elves intentionally toss their crowning glory roadside on State Route 286? We don’t know, but that's where the making lemonade part comes in.

Some of these items will never see a landfill. That’s pretty good news and a great feeling for volunteers who collect hundreds of bags of unsalvageable refuse. Reuse and recycle is a common thread among volunteers who clean and refurbish lost items. Lots of metal pieces and tools found roadside are given new life and a renewed purpose.

As for the ballpoint pen in the photo—if it still works, I'll take it to replace the one that I misplaced. The basketball and other sporting goods might get a second chance at a road trip. This time cinched-down in a truck bed with a net to prevent a three-pointer into traffic. It happens.

ADOT celebrates Adopt a Highway volunteers who collect all varieties of trash from along state highways. Your service is a big part of what our nation celebrates each Fourth of July. Thank you for your continued optimism and for making lemonade when possible. I raise my glass to you. 

Stay safe and healthy this summer during litter collection events. Pack plenty of water and watch out for each other along busy highways. 

Considering a volunteer opportunity? Visit Adopt a Highway for more information about adopting a two-mile segment along a state route in your area. 

If you live in Phoenix and would like to help reduce litter in your neighborhood, visit My Beautiful Phoenix. Tucson area residents can check out Tucson Clean and Beautiful. The Maricopa Association of Governments also focuses on keeping roadways clean through its Don't Trash Arizona campaign.

Arizona, Keep It Grand!

Inspiration can be found in many places. One Adopt a Highway volunteer found hers on a road trip between Peoria and Eden - Arizona that is.

When Lina Rodriguez would travel to see her mom, along the way she saw Adopt a Highway Volunteer signs. The signs she passed inspired a memorial adoption. Rodriguez thought adopting a highway might be a good way for a group of friends and colleagues to honor a dear friend, Judie Ackerman, who was killed by an impaired driver. That was twenty years ago.

This year on May 1, the Arizona Department of Transportation honored Rodriguez and her group of volunteers for two decades of volunteer service. The memorial sign, “In Memory of Judie Ackerman," is located on State Route 69, south of Dewey-Humboldt in Yavapai County. 

“I have an awesome group of ladies that help clean every year. It can vary from 4 to 16 participants. It is almost always, ladies only, because we then head into Prescott and spend the night. It is our ladies getaway weekend since we are all from the Phoenix area,” Rodriguez said. “We all enjoy cleaning the highway because once we are done we have a sense of accomplishment knowing that we are helping our beautiful state of Arizona to stay beautiful.”

If you are interested in caring for a segment of highway in memory of your loved one, please visit the Adopt a Highway website to learn how. 

On this Memorial Day, a special thank you to Adopt a Highway Volunteer program groups – over 400 statewide, who gather at adopted segments during the year to clear litter in remembrance of beloved family members, both human and furry. Expressing honor by serving the community is a choice ADOT understands and appreciates. 

Traveling northbound toward Show Low on US 60, watch for a mile dedicated to Melissa Pomeroy. For the past three years, Melissa’s sign greets motorists at mileposts 334 and 335. Melissa unexpectedly passed in 2014 at the age of 49, but her twin Michelle keeps her sister’s memory alive within their family. Since 2018, Michelle has participated in the Adopt a Highway Volunteer program and organizes cleanups a couple times a year, mostly with family members. 

South of Florence Junction at SR 79 milepost 144, a memorial sign stands at attention to a brave young Marine.

Brodie Denow was committed to serving his country, as his Marine mom does by helping keep Arizona grand and litter-free.

Headed to Payson? The family of Jonathan T. Orcutt adopted a segment to care for on SR 87 at milepost 189 near Fountain Hills in remembrance of their son. Jonathan’s family clears litter along this segment more than three times per year, which is proudly displayed on the Outstanding Volunteer Placard below the recognition sign in the photo. 

Adopt a Highway recognition signs hold a maximum of 40 characters to express the name of the volunteer group, which may include a sentiment and name.

“Sometimes, expressing how you would like the sign to read in 40 letters can be a challenge. Adopt a Highway permit coordinators understand and will gladly assist volunteer group leaders to maximize a memorial sentiment printed on the sign,” said Mary Currie, the Adopt a Highway program manager. 

In Arizona littering is getting worse. If you are interested in caring for a segment of state highway, we welcome civic-minded groups and individuals that are interested in helping to reduce litter in Arizona by gathering as a group to collect litter a few times per year. Please visit the Adopt a Highway website to learn how.

Arizona has no shortage of breathtaking views. More than 27,000 ADOT-maintained miles leads millions of travelers to experience roadside destinations this summer. Many of those getaway spots are enjoyed worldwide on the pages of Arizona Highways Magazine.

Along many roadways, accompanying those double-take views are eyefulls of litter. Professional and mobile photographers alike make photo op adjustments to miss the mess. No memorable backdrops with a majestic saguaro and plastic bag clinging to 200-year-old  spines. Shuffle the group left to miss a cigarette butt carpet crafted from illegal dumping. You get it – litter is ugly and doesn’t go away on its own. Even banana peels take about two years to decompose. 

In a nutshell (those take about three) ADOT has lots and lots of adoptable miles. If you’ve got the time and moxy to pull together a small or large army of volunteers to help put those photogenic moments back in summer travel we’d love to hear from you. 

If you are a lover of cigarette butt murals, please apply here. Participating in the Adopt a Highway program will supplement your artist media free of charge while you help keep it grand! If cigarette butts are not your thing – no worries, there are plenty of trash varieties and other treasures to collect too. 

Thank you to the 1,200 volunteer groups and 4,758 individuals who support the Adopt a Highway Volunteer program. Your helping hands continue to make Arizona a top choice for landscape photographers. 

National Volunteer Week officially came to a close April 24, but there is no cutoff date to recognize 15 students, parents and faculty who showed up on a Saturday morning to collect litter in their hometown of Morenci.

On April 10, smiling faces representing the Fairbanks Middle School Science Club huddled in for a team photo. Gabriel Abril, a sixth grade science teacher and former mine worker for 15 years, and Alexia Robles, an eighth grade math teacher, accepted a certificate of appreciation for participation in the Adopt a Highway Volunteer program for the past five years. 

These two led the morning trash expedition northbound from the group recognition sign at mile marker 156 to clear a generous and easily walked area. Abril gave a final safety call for the team, including to respect sounds or sightings of any rattlesnakes by walking away.

I caught up with Kloe, a student volunteer, who was inspecting a discarded Arizona Lottery ticket (obviously not a winner!). The volunteers seemed to enjoy the morning and camaraderie that goes along with all good scavenger hunts. While scouring the landscape, a few of the students identified a desert horned lizard, one of Arizona’s harmless reptiles.

DeeAnn Jensen, a fifth grade teacher and new Adopt a Highway coordinator, contacted me in late 2020 to learn more about getting started with a group of student volunteers. Jensen told me the tradition began five years ago with a former colleague who was an active member in the community and promoted civic duty. 

“Our school and district follows the Wild CATS Code: Care about each other, Act respectfully, Try our best and Show pride and perseverance,” Jensen said. “We recite this code every day after the Pledge of Allegiance. We want our students to take pride in themselves and their work and also be a productive member of society. Adopting a stretch of highway fosters our CATS Code and goals for our students.”

Jensen shared what adopting this section of highway means to the volunteers. “We live in a mining town and there is a lot of commuting. Hours at the mine are long and consist of shift work and everyone seems to be in a rush. There are some people who work at the mine who don’t live in our community and will drive every day to go home to their town an hour or more away. Sadly, this opens the opportunity for trash to be dumped out into the desert by the highway.”

Morenci is a temporary relocation for some, but for others it's a home. Mining is a way of life. While Jensen is not a native to the community, her belief in civic duty and community pride is revealed in the advice she gave for others getting started in the program.  

“Spread the word about your cleanup. Anyone 12 or older is able to attend, even if they are not in your club. Bring gloves to your cleanup. You don’t know what you will find or how dirty and long it has been out there. Plus, in some areas picking up trash in Arizona means encountering stickers, thorns and weeds.” 

Thank you to the students, family and faculty from Fairbanks Middle School Science Club who welcomed me to participate in the volunteer cleanup event. I could not be more proud of the spirit exhibited by these young men and women who spent a Saturday morning clearing 13 bags-worth of trash from their two-mile segment. 

The community and copper mining operations of Morenci are situated along US 191 in Greenlee County on Arizona’s eastern border.

For more information about supporting highway litter reduction visit Adopt a Highway. Need motivation? Find it in the Adopt a Highway News!

A $20 bill folded neatly into a dry water bottle, found by a volunteer on her birthday near Sasabe. A relic yet undetermined as an authentic cannonball from a historic battle fought in Avra Valley. 

These are examples of artifacts that sometimes delight or puzzle the mind, found each year among the thousands of pounds of trash collected by Adopt a Highway volunteers along state highways. 

Such uncovered treasures, however mysterious, brighten volunteer work while hours are spent bagging countless cigarette butts, unsecured lumber, broken auto parts and glass shards. 

Some groups host creative contests like "oddest items found" to boost camaraderie among team members. The tagged elf hat shown in the photo collage probably won the contest that day. 

But volunteers are the real treasures here – working quietly behind the scenes to ensure a traveler’s view of Arizona is not marred by tossed diapers. They are responsible for random acts of kindness too, like returning the occasional cell phone or wallet to their rightful owner. 

These individuals have reported they take pride in their community and the beauty of Arizona. Others are new to Arizona and want to be part of the litter solution. Those responses don't make headlines, but are the values held by those who embody the basic principles of volunteerism. 

ADOT celebrates 129 volunteer groups whose signs are marked by an additional special acknowledgement placard that reads “Outstanding Volunteer” – meaning the group organizes, conducts and reports cleanups at least three or more times per year. You are the superstars in your community.

To become a treasured part of the solution, check out the Adopt a Highway Program. You never know – victory may be yours if you find the next kitchen sink in Prescott or a pink tutu near Flagstaff. 

And you can report litterbugs by calling 511 or visiting litter.az.gov. If you live in Maricopa County, check out Don’t Trash Arizona for more facts about litter and litter reduction.

Your community needs you. Contact Tucson Clean & Beautiful and Keep Phoenix Beautiful for opportunities to make a positive impact in your hometown.

During National Volunteer Week ADOT is extending thanks to all Adopt a Highway volunteers for removing litter from alongside the state highway system that connects Arizona communities. 

However, it is more than volunteering for many. Loved ones, veterans, beloved pets – our personal heroes are honored when volunteers gather to beautify adopted miles. Family and friends reunite and remember.

Gila County Sheriff deputies have done just that for the past 26 years on State Route 188 at mile marker 256. On April 9, Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd, Chief Deputy Mike Johnson, Lt. Virgil Dodd, Undersheriff Matt Binney and Major Justin Solberg were recognized along with other deputy team members who could not be present for their longtime volunteer service.

The group also received outstanding volunteer status as part of a new program dedicated to showcasing volunteer groups who clean up three times or more per year. These groups will be identified by an additional "Outstanding Volunteer" placard installed underneath the standard recognition sign. 

The deputies use their cleanup time to build camaraderie amongst staff and express their sense of pride in Gila County. The hope is that showing their presence will encourage others to do their part in keeping Arizona clean. One of the interesting findings over the years was a wallet they were able to return to its owner.

A deeper significance for the department’s choice of adopted mile was shared with me by Chief Deputy Mike Johnson. 

“In 1994 two of our deputies were investigating an accident where a vehicle had struck a deer at mile marker 256," Johnson said. "During the investigation a DUI driver traveling north on SR 188 struck one of our deputies and then hit the patrol vehicle, knocking it into the second deputy.  This is why we chose this particular stretch of highway to adopt in honor of both of those deputies that were injured as a result of the collision."

Whether the deputies are serving on the job or as Adopt a Highway volunteers, they are exposed to the same dangers present when working along the highway. That is why ADOT requires participating volunteers to watch a safety video briefing before each cleanup, to educate and prepare them for a safe and enjoyable experience while working along busy highways.

Johnson had a few words of advice for those wanting to pitch in too.

“Adopt a Highway for the right reason and make sure you plan and are able to fulfill your required cleanups. Above all, have fun with it,” he said. 

Thank you to Gila County Sheriff’s Office volunteers for serving the community – whether it be through security, searches, rescues and community activities, or beautifying SR 188 and helping to keep Arizona grand.

Want to join the ranks of 1,200 volunteer groups who give back? To learn more visit azdot.gov/aah.

The Escapees North Ranch RV Club is located just about smack dab between Wickenburg and Congress Junction along State Route 89. Fun fact: This long-time multigenerational community for travelers and year ‘round residents operates the country’s oldest, largest and most economical private mail forwarding service for club members, something it's done in cooperation with the United States Postal Service since 1985.

The park was built by volunteers and still operates today on the expert skills, knowledge and labor of its dedicated members.

Twenty-nine years ago the club adopted two miles of SR 89 between mileposts 263 and 265, near the park entrance. These days Charles and Grace Ann Carter help organize cleanups with park residents while Yvonne “Voni” Ensley works behind the scenes to ensure volunteer registration and litter bag counts are submitted back to ADOT – a critical task in this operation that she’s taken on for many years. 

I had the pleasure of meeting 26 of the volunteers who gave up two hours on a recent brisk morning to help. Teams split up to canvas the right-of-way east and west of the park, where there was no shortage of litter devastating the beautiful scenery. Thirty full bags of trash and a variety of debris were collected. Some of the litter found was already bagged and either tossed or lost by travelers. Cardboard boxes, glass bottles and a well-used pet bed were just a few items cleared away. We marveled over a couple of unique items found: a colorful orb made of blown glass and a brand new metal joist.

When I asked Carter what motivates the group to continue serving the program all these years, he told me the club is made up of many volunteers.

“Most of us are, or were full-time RVers and have volunteered in state parks and national parks for years. Many of our members can be found volunteering in the hospital, museum and other places as needed around Wickenburg. Our ham radio club has furnished communications for parades, runs and bicycle races from Prescott to Congress. We also have several volunteers who participate in search and rescue, and Amateur Radio Emergency Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service communications to assist police, fire, city and county emergency responders.” 

Nola Cook, a 30-year resident, RVer and supporter, came out to welcome the group as they trickled back to the clubhouse. She told me she no longer volunteers for litter cleanups but has no shortage of improvement projects to tend to in other areas like the park’s cactus garden. Cook and her late husband were some of the original volunteer builders that made this park what it is today: a well kept home that many enjoy.  

Over the past three decades volunteers have uncovered lots of treasures and potential hazards while picking up litter in this area. 

“Car and house keys, car and truck parts, tools, building materials, even a case of unopened beer cans. You name it, we've probably found it in the last 29 years,” Carter said.

Some good advice and a bit of inspiration was offered for others considering a highway adoption: “Wear good lace-up boots or shoes, leather gloves and be sure to watch out for snakes and especially for traffic. Above all, have fun.”

Roadside litter is an unfortunate truth and becoming an increasing problem in Arizona. You can prevent a driving hazard for others and from losing your valuables by covering truck beds when hauling open truck loads. Double-check tools, equipment and furniture that can fly out or bounce out of the vehicle endangering drivers around you. 

Hundreds of unadopted miles are available on state highways throughout Arizona. To start your own volunteer group and care for a two mile segment of state highway in your community, visit the Adopt a Highway Volunteer program. If you live in Maricopa County check out Don’t Trash Arizona for more facts about litter and litter reduction.

Thank you to the Escapees North Ranch RV Club and each of the volunteers who welcomed me. ADOT celebrates with you and appreciates your twenty nine years of volunteer service. Arizona - Keep it Grand. 

The wind picks up from time to time here at the ol’ ADOT Ranch, and wouldn’t you know it, it keeps blowing leaves in the pool. Boy, is that annoying. 

OK, we really don’t have a pool at ADOT Ranch, and the stuff our crew members have seen blowing in the wind lately is a lot more annoying than leaves.

That would be litter. 

And tempting as it is to say that we see too much of it (and we do), the truth is any amount is too much.

We’re not the only ones who’ve noticed. There’s been a definite increase in complaints about litter on or near ADOT highways all over Arizona. 

But it was no surprise. You see, ADOT crews live and work here too, and every one of us is as unhappy about the trash and junk by the road as everyone else. Our home is too messy. 

ADOT maintenance crews, volunteers and contractors have been working very hard to do all they can. In fact, in the Phoenix metro area, the amount of litter picked up in 2020 versus 2019 increased by about 100 tons. Imagine that. And there’s more where that came from.

It’s a never-ending problem. But you can help.

First, think about the sign you see in every employee break room in the world: “Your mom doesn’t work here, so clean up after yourself!”

Good advice! The best way to help reduce litter is, well, to NOT LITTER! Don’t toss that burger wrapper, empty water bottle or cigar butt out the window. And not to be too gross in a family blog, but let’s just say loaded diapers and other such things don’t belong by the road – ever. 

The second thing many of us can do is secure your load. A lot of litter is stuff that’s in the back of a truck and just flies out. Not only is that nasty, but it’s a safety hazard.

Finally, you can volunteer for the Adopt a Highway program. In 2020, the pandemic caused a downturn in our number of volunteers just as it temporarily sidelined the prison inmate cleanup crews, but cleaning up litter is always done with distancing and other health and safety protocols.

You can learn more about Adopt a Highway on our website. And you can report litterbugs by calling 511 or reporting online at litter.az.gov. 

If you’re still not convinced, take a look at some of the images in the Flickr album above. They were taken in one of the most beautiful areas of Arizona – the Rim Country near Payson. 

We can only guess who did all of this, but it was a cooperative effort of people carelessly tossing garbage into the open. 

What should be blowing in the wind? Bob Dylan would say “the answer” and that’s great, but we’d love to see just leaves whirling around, not the stuff that belongs in a trash can.