The Billings Community Center in Billings, Montana was filled with volunteers from service organizations, churches, Scout troops, neighborhood task forces, families and individuals on Saturday for the national Great American Cleanup, sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. 

At the opening, Peggie Gaghen, President of the Bright n’ Beautiful board, an affilifate of Keep America Beautiful, said “It’s an effort to make our community more lovely, as far as cleaning up the trash after winter, and instilling a pride in what we share day to day.” 

Groups of volunteers then set out to pick up trash from Pioneer Park all the way down to the South Side.

The effort didn’t end there. Mike Yakawich, South Side Neighborhood Task Force volunteer and Global Peace Foundation NW USA Director, helped lead a ditch cleaning along with community members and local organizations like Phillips 66, Hope Center and Community Leadership & Leadership Inc.