Rotarians Mark Beautification Anniversary

Champaign --- 15 years ago Champaign West Rotarian Jim Williams was searching for a new community service project he could champion.

At the time, the concept of community service organizations committed to picking up litter and mowing down weeds along a section of highway was brand new.  The concept grew across the country to become what we now commonly refer to as Adopt-A-Highway programs.

Today, the Illinois Department of transportation, ( http://www.dot.state.il.us/aah/default.html ), reports more than 1,700 volunteer groups have adopted more than 3,400 miles of highways in the state.  Each year, the DOT estimates these community service organizations collect more than 32,000 bags of trash from Illinois highways, saving taxpayers millions of dollars in labor costs while contributing to the beautification of the nation's third largest highway system.

In Champaign, motorists refer to IL Highway 10 as Springfield Avenue.  Champaign West Rotarians refer to the Adopt-A-Highway community service clean up of a 2-mile stretch of Springfield Avenue as the "The Acheson Project", in honor of the Rotary President who approved the Williams idea.  "Little Jimmy" has been organizing the event ever since.