Public Lands Get Helping Hands

For the second consecutive year, the Good Sam Club and Take Pride in America will join to
take part in the Good Sam Club’s National Cleanup Day, May 14-15, 2005, a project aimed at
beautifying campgrounds and parks. This year’s theme will focus on “Helping to Preserve our
Public Lands.” Keeping up with America’s 900 million acres of public land is not an easy
task, but members of these organizations are ready and willing to do just that. “Every
year, this event proves to be more successful for us,” said Sue Bray, executive director of
Good Sam Club. “We would like to extend an open invitation to anyone interested in helping.
If we all pick up at least one piece of trash as part of the effort, we can and will make
an incredible difference.” Members of the Good Sam Club have been volunteering their time
and efforts to participate in National Cleanup Day since 1996. Last year alone, more than
200 chapters participated in the event nationwide, donating nearly 20,000 hours to
collecting more than 3,000 bags of trash. To date this year, there have been more than
4,000 requests for Cleanup Day trash-collection bags. “Memorial Day weekend usually kicks
off the summer camping season,” said Bray. “It is our goal to clean up as many places as
possible beforehand to help prepare our public lands for the enjoyment of campers
everywhere. Just as important, we want to set an example for future campers so they, too,
will hopefully be inspired to continue our efforts.”