KNCB Affiliate Work throughout North Carolina

Ashe County Golden Trail

KNCB Affiliate: Keep Ashe Beautiful
KNCB Corporate Partner: State Employees' Credit Union
Project Site: Foster Tyson Park - Jefferson, North Carolina

Project Summary

Just over a month after Hurricane Helene's devastating impact on the North Carolina mountains, residents of Ashe County came together on Saturday, November 2, for a meaningful break from their intensive recovery efforts to launch phase one of "The Golden Trail" in Tyson Park, Jefferson.

This project is more than just a pause from the intense recovery efforts that have been ongoing for over five weeks; it's a hopeful gesture of renewal and growth. By planting bulbs—the seeds of recovery—the community looks forward to a brighter spring.

This collaborative effort by Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Keep Ashe Beautiful, and over two dozen dedicated community volunteers involved the planting of more than 3,000 daffodil bulbs sponsored by State Employees' Credit Union. Each daffodil symbolizes hope, resilience, and the promise of brighter days ahead, mirroring the community's journey towards recovery.

Just as daffodils bloom after the harsh winter, this trail will eventually transform into a vibrant path lined with thousands of flowers winding through Jefferson and reminding all who walk it of the community's strength and renewal.

Over the next five years, thousands more daffodil bulbs will be planted in the Jefferson community to complete "The Golden Trail", creating a walking path that embodies the strength and resilience of the community and its people.

Goose Creek Cleanup

KNCB Affiliate: Keep Durham Beautiful
KNCB Community Partner: Publix
Project Site: Durham

Project Summary

In partnership with the "Publix Serves" program and Keep Durham Beautiful, Keep North Carolina Beautiful joined over 20 Publix store associates to assist in cleaning up litter from Goose Creek in Durham at both East End and Long Meadow Parks.

We learned that this seemingly innocuous creek, running aside both parks about a mile apart, is important to Raleigh's drinking water. Goose Creek is a tributary of the Ellerbee watershed which feeds into the Falls Lake reservoir. From there it flows into the Neuse River down to the Albemarle-Pamico Sound before emptying into the ocean.

As with any litter cleanup, several interesting items were found along with the typical beverage containers (plastic, glass, and aluminum), food/candy wrappers, plastic grocery bags, etc... Among them was an old discarded children's bicycle in one part of the creek, with one side of a training wheels set about a half-mile down the creek; we're not sure if those were related. We also found a brand new 100-foot extension cord, along with the back of an old cathode ray tube TV, and a variety of other items you wouldn't imagine.

In addition to cleaning up both areas of the creek, litter was removed from both parks as part of the environmental beautification service project.

Keep North Carolina Beautiful is grateful for the partnership with Publix and the "Publix Serves" initiative that serves several communities across North Carolina annually.