MERIDIAN — The weekend's anticipated cooler temperatures will be the perfect complement to two Saturday morning cleanup events in downtown Meridian.

    Meridian Main Street's Fall Clean Sweep and Meridian/Lauderdale County Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Electronic Waste Cleanup will both get under way at 8 a.m.

    Volunteers will collect litter throughout downtown during the fall clean sweep.

    "We encourage everybody to come out – youth groups, Scouts, clubs and organizations, anyone who wants to help," said Event Chair Cooper Huff at Waste Pro.

    Gloves and garbage bags will be provided.

    The annual cleanup is held twice each year, spring and fall. According to Meridian Main Street Executive Director John McClure, participation has increased at each event.

    "During our spring cleanup, we had 80 volunteers who collected 90 bags of trash," McClure said. "Ironically, we have more volunteers each time, but it seems the number of bags collected decreases, which means there's less litter – and that's a good thing."

    Huff said the cleanup fosters community pride.

    "It brings the community together in a way to show pride in downtown Meridian, and so that when people visit they see a clean safe area," Huff said. "And for those who haven't been downtown lately, it's an opportunity for them to come and check out what's going on."

    The electronic recycling event is a first-time endeavor which, according to KAP Director Betty Lou Jones, is greatly needed by the community.

    "So many people need to get rid of things, but don't know where to put them," Jones said.

    Computers/laptops, printers, computer accessories, monitors, telephones, cell phones, fax machines, scanners and gaming systems will be recycled at no charge by STS Electronic Recycling Inc. Televisions will not be accepted.

    Jones said the electronic recycling event has multi-faceted benefits.

    "First of all, you get rid of the items at no cost. Second, we don't fill up the landfill with it. And third, some of it is recycled and used," she said. "It's a win-win for everyone."

    For more information about Meridian Main Street's Fall Clean Sweep, call Cooper Huff, (601) 480-1443, Duffee Williams, (601) 934-2236 or John McClure at (601) 693-7480.

    For more information about the Electronics Waste Cleanup, call STS Electronic Recycling at (256) 810-3974.