Tales from the Side of the Road

Chuck Johnson and Ron Gregory. Litter lifters extraordinaire.

Driving down Greenville Highway in Flat Rock a couple weeks ago, I noticed several people in bright orange vests walking along the side of the road. They were collecting trash in large bags as they worked their way down the road.  Whoever they were, it was obvious that they were working to keep Flat Rock beautiful.

I pulled into Berwick Downs and hopped out of my car to learn more about these good Samaritans.  I was soon happily conversing with Chuck Johnson and Ron Gregory - two congenial members of the Kenmure Adopt a Highway group. At least that’s the formal name. Chuck’s wife refers to him as a “garbage grabber” and Ron shared that the group generally refers to themselves as the “litter lifters.”  Ron is quick to admit to aspiring to be the head of the organization and being able one day to tell friends that he is the Litter Lifter Leader. “It’s good to have goals in life,” he laughs.

Chuck and Ron estimate that there are about 30 Kenmure residents who participate in the Adopt a Highway program. The group forays out onto Flat Rock’s scenic byway once a month to collect trash. “We need a minimum of eight to do it. We are responsible for four sections of the road and we need two per section,” explains Ron. “We are responsible for the section of Highway that extends from the Post Office south to Kingwood.”

True confession - the primary reason I stopped was to ask them what kind of weird stuff they’ve found beside the road. In addition to the ubiquitous fast-food wrappers and empty drink cans, there have been some surprising finds according to Chuck. “We find a lot of car parts. Even big parts like car bumpers. It makes us wonder - so you’re driving down the road and your bumper falls off. Wouldn’t you notice something like that?”

Then there was the day Chuck found a credit card. And then another one. And another. Until he had collected about 15 credit cards and gift cards. “It was rather amazing!”

Ron also found unopened first-class mail near Kingwood on one sweep. “It was soggy of course,” he recalls. “But we got the address and Chuck made sure it got to its owner. The Kenmure Adopt a Highway Group. Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor dark of night will keep us from our appointed rounds.”

Chuck and Ron are retired from successful careers in IT and the Air Force respectively. When asked if it seems to be strange to be collecting trash along the side of the road in their retirement years, they just smile. “It gets me out of the house,” says Ron. “Even if I am out on the street!”

And the litter lifters of Kenmure never feel disparaged by passersby. Just the opposite according to Chuck. “Mostly people just honk and wave. They appreciate what we are doing.”

Ron and Chuck have discussed, however, a special Halloween pick-up. They joke about donning vests that say “Community Service” and getting one of their members to stand nearby wearing sunglasses and holding a shotgun over his shoulder. 

At the end of the sweep, the Kenmure group piles their bags full of trash at the base of the sign recognizing their contribution to Flat Rock. The bags and miscellaneous oversized items are picked up later by the county for disposal.

Next time you see the orange vest clad garbage grabbers of Kenmure, be sure to slow down and give them a wave. They are working to make Flat Rock just a little nicer for all of us. And that’s a very good thing.