Trash patrol -- 4-10th tackles post beautification

By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson LeaderAugust 21, 2014

4-10th tackles post beautification
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – First Sgt. Robert Vose, Company A, 4th Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, collects trash along the shore of Fort Jackson's Semmes Lake during the battalion's cleanup effort Aug. 19, 2014. Soldiers with the 4-10th collected 30 bags of trash near Semme... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
4-10th tackles post beautification
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
4-10th tackles post beautification
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Aug. 21, 2014) -- Soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment volunteered Tuesday morning to collect trash from around some of the post's recreational areas.

Soldiers specifically concentrated their efforts around Fort Jackson's lakes and ponds, collecting 30 bags of garbage, each holding 13 gallons. Much of the refuse that was collected is recyclable, said Stephanie Gillian, the post's Solid Waste Program manager.

"The trash collected is going to be disposed of, but the recyclable material is going to be separated and taken to the recycling center," Gillian said. "Most of what we're finding is plastic and aluminum."

"We're focusing our efforts on Semmes Lake and Legion Lake, trying to give back to the community where we work," said Chaplain (Capt.) Ronnie Irwin, 4th Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment. "As a chaplain, what it brings to the unit ministry team is a great opportunity to work with Soldiers and conduct a project shoulder-to-shoulder with them. It helps me build relationships with Soldiers."

About 90 Soldiers collected trash from around the banks of the two lakes and used canoes to collect hard-to-reach trash floating away from shore. Irwin estimated more than 100 volunteer hours were donated to the cause.

Most of the trash collected Tuesday had been floating in the two lakes. In addition to the bottles and cans, volunteers found a tennis ball, golf balls, a football, a small wheel and a bicycle seat. Irwin said clean-up efforts will soon expand to other areas on Fort Jackson.

"Our intention is to clean up the other lakes, but right now we're going to focus on the cantonment area," he said. "We still have Twin Lakes, Heise Pond and Boyden Arbor that we'll schedule in the near future to clean up."