A group that participated in 2020 Waterways (a Chattanooga nonprofit)
LIFT Youth Center Inc, in conjunction with Catoosa County government, the City of Fort Oglethorpe, the City of Ringgold, Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce and other local groups and non-profits will hold a county-wide Earth Day initiative to celebrate and contribute to the beauty of the environment. The Third Annual Clean Catoosa will be held across Catoosa County from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, April 17, with a tentative rain date of April 24.
In the fall, Clean Catoosa had 17 groups complete projects, a total of 249 people worked across
the county – planting trees and flowers, shoveling mulch and gravel, cleaning creek banks and
picking up 90 bags of trash, recycling and general debris. "Clean Catoosa participants did a lot
of amazing work across the county in October of 2020," organizers said. "Clean Catoosa is exactly the kind of event LIFT hopes to always be known for, one that empowers students and families to engage in caring for and improving our community."
“The City of Fort Oglethorpe is very excited to be working with LIFT for the Clean Catoosa event.
We have so many beautiful areas in our community and we are extremely grateful to have many
involved citizens who want to join in the efforts to keep Catoosa County clean,” said Molly F. Huhn,
Fort Oglethorpe City manager
"In 2020, roadside trash increased greatly. In an effort to make a tangible positive impact on our
county we will be increasing the scope of projects for Clean Catoosa in 2021," organizers said. "For the first time ever, Clean Catoosa will be doing three roaming road blocks for trash pick-ups. We are thrilled to have Catoosa County Public Works partnering with LIFT to make trash pick-up projects on roads such as Holcomb possible. Currently, we have 29 clean-up and beautification projects planned, with more possible should other groups wish to participate. If you have a group that would like to participate and help LIFT serve Catoosa County, please visit LIFT-ringgold.org/cleancatoosa or email info@LIFT-ringgold.org."
“LIFT has definitely become a convener of resources and people within Catoosa County. The
Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce is proud to be a part of the collaboration of public and
private entities and individuals coming together to make our community shine as the jewel we
know it to be as a part of Clean Catoosa 2021. This is what makes Catoosa County a great place to live, work, and play,” said Amy Jackson, Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce president and
CEO.
LIFT Youth Center is thankful for the support of the following local organizations and businesses for all they have done and will do. If you have a business that would like to sponsor Clean Catoosa, visit LIFT-ringgold.org/cleancatoosa or email info@LIFT-ringgold.org.
- Lead Sponsors: County and City Governments, the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce,
the Ringgold Convention and Visitors Bureau and Teems Electric
- Community Sponsors: North Ga Conservation District, True Life Chiropractic and Pinkston’s
Complete.
Tina Pinkston, LIFT’s executive director and the event coordinator for Clean Catoosa, said, “It is
such a beautiful thing to watch our citizens, young and old, come together for good causes like
this. We will have groups from neighborhoods, from Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, from high school
clubs and teams, from businesses and existing groups of friends who wish to participate. LIFT will
have enough student participants for three projects this year. These group leaders and participants
see a need, and they know together we can do something about it,”
In 2018 LIFT organized its first Earth Day event for the community. The event has grown each year
as has their organization. LIFT Youth Center Inc. is a local nonprofit that will be opening a drop-in
youth center for fifth-12th grade Catoosa County students. They are currently remodeling their building - the Claudia Nance Rollins Youth Center - and will have their ribbon cutting on April 30 at 9 a.m. There will be an Open House to follow and the community is invited to come by and meet the staff. LIFT’s mission is to create opportunities for teens to be "Loved as they are, Inspired to be more, Found in community, and Trusted to make a difference."
"LIFT is looking for all sorts of partnerships - from in-kind donations, to support in certain industries,
to finding volunteers or resources that can be utilized in their space and with their students. They
are grateful to have already experienced a beautiful ground swell of support from individuals,
businesses, local government and other organizations," organizers said. "If you wish to learn more about LIFT Youth Center Inc., please visit www.LIFT-ringgold.today and consider making a donation to help aid in the success of our mission. Donations can be made online at www.LIFT-ringgold.org/donate."
A group that participated in 2020 picking up trash along Bandy and Greenwood Road in Ringgold