Del Dot Roadside Litter Pickup Crew Volunteers on Oyster Rocks Road November 27, 2010
We hear a lot about heroes these days.
Pictured above are my candidates for heroes of the day.
You won't see these heroes featured on Anderson Cooper's "Heroes" program.
You won't read about these heroes in the newspaper.
You won't see these heroes presented with an award by President Obama.
No, these heroes don't fit in any of the above categories.
These heroes are a group of fine folks who have volunteered to pick up the trash that is strewn aside our beautiful roads here in southern Delaware.
I was returning to my home off of Oyster Rocks Road, east of Route 1early this cold and windy afternoon. I had just spent about two hours teaching my elderly friends Bob and Jim how to use e-mail on their new computer. Jim and Bob live in a doublewide about two miles outside of Georgetown, on Anderson Corner Road on twenty-two acres of scrub woodland. I'm always disheartened when I drive over to Bob and Jim's when I see the amount of trash and litter that lies along side the road towards their place. Today was no exception.
Thus it was with a glad heart when I crossed over Rt. 1 towards my home off of Oyster Road when I saw a group of chartreuse day glo folks picking up the litter on Oyster Rocks Road.
Oyster Rocks road off of Rt. 1 goes back two miles to the Broadkill River. Bill and I had just driven back there this morning for an early morning ride on this breezy and chilly Saturday and I was again disheartened by all the littler along the road. I was especially saddened to see a full mattress tossed into the beautiful, natural wetland growth. I mentioned to Bill "How can anyone take their old mattress and toss it along side the road in such natural beauty?" Bill said nothing because he understood as I do, there are basically two types of people on this earth:
- Those that litter
- Those who don't and who pick up the litter of those that littert
I am in the latter category.
I myself have on several occasions traveled down the length of Oyster Rocks Road and picked up crushed beer cans, empty cigarette packets, plastic soda bottles and plastic bags. The last I drove the length of Oyster Rock Road and picked up two full trash bags of litter.
Bill has given up on picking up the litter. In fact he becomes angry with me when I pick up the litter. So I have to sneak out and pick up the litter. However, lately the amount of litter has even overwhelmed me. Now, when I pick up the litter I pick up the Usual Suspects: beer cans and plastic soda bottles. I leave the rest. The topper probably came when there was the slaughtered, cleaned carcass of a deer (head included) tossed aside the road right where the Broadkill meets Oyster Rocks Road.
When I drove past this happy group this afternoon and turned into my development. Then I thought "I want to thank them for what they are doing today." I turned around and drove out of my development and caught up with them farther on down Oyster Rocks Road. I pulled my car over to the side of the road and parked it. I got my camera and got out and motioned to some of them to get their attention. A couple of them turned around to see what I wanted. I said "I want to thank you for what you're doing today. Thank you very much!" Everyone burst out into big smiles, me included. This is what the good life is all about folks. Good deeds and people being acknowledged for their good deeds in helping their fellow human beings making this planet a better place to live.
In unison a chorus of smile greeted me and several put the thumbs up sign. I thanked them again and asked if I could take their picture. Someone said "Sure!" and they piled up in the flatbed of the pickup truck and posed for this wonderful picture.
I told them I was going to write about this in my blog and asked if I could use their picture. Again another hearty "Sure!"
I thanked them again, gave them my card, and after giving them a thumbs up sign I left, my faith in the goodness of the human heart renewed.
