PRIDE holds 9th annual cleanup at Cumberland Falls

On Saturday, more than 450 volunteers came together to help clean up Cumberland Falls.

The Spring cleanup event is held by PRIDE, which stands for Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment.

The non-profit serves more than 40 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

This is the 9th year they've held a cleanup event at Cumberland Falls.

Volunteers picked up litter along Highway 90, leading to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, along with other surrounding roads.

"We have such a beautiful community and any chance we have an opportunity to be a part of something that's so good for our parks and community, why not?" said Angela Turner, who volunteered her time to help with the cleanup.

Many volunteers said they look forward to helping out each year.

"I think this is about four years I've done it," said Bevo Greene. "We picked up quite a bit. It didn't seem like as much as in past years but I think they said the state had come through maybe a couple of weeks ago. But there's still plenty of trash."

Cumberland Falls Park Employees said without the cleanup event, trash would be everywhere.

"We'd have cigarette butts to our knees," said Pamela Gibson, an employee at the park. "The shoreline would just be covered with cans and bottles and plastic. People don't realize how much blows out of their cars or how much is set off to the side and it all rolls to the river."

PRIDE is currently celebrating their 20th Anniversary.

The initiative was launched in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers and the late General James Bickford.

This is the 19th year PRIDE has held Spring cleanups throughout Kentucky.