Adopt-A-Road: Northeast Atlanta, GA
The Adopt-A-Road Initiative is vital part of the nationwide Keep America Beautiful Program. The Keep Forsyth County Beautiful (KFCB) Adopt-A-Road Program encourages members of the community to actively participate in efforts to remove unsightly litter that accumulates along the county roadways.
In October 2020, the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Northeast Atlanta adopted a section of a road in Forsyth County, GA. Since then, a group of six to twelve dedicated Sai volunteers from the Center have been diligently cleaning up the roadside about six to nine times a year.
As this project progressed, a significant reduction in the amount of litter has been observed. This positive change is due not only to the volunteers’ tireless efforts but also because travelers tend to refrain from littering when they witness strangers cleaning up their trash. Eleventh grade volunteer, Aditi Iyer, described the friendliness and gratitude of passersby, who often wave and express appreciation for their efforts by shouting out “Thank you!”
The service has been an especially rewarding family activity. A volunteer, Prasad Challa, regularly joins in the cleanup with his wife and daughter. He expressed his enthusiasm for the joy of being outdoors in the sunshine, engaging in physical exercise, as well the chance to serve the community. He reflected, “Sri Sathya Sai Baba says to ‘Love All, Serve All’ but I feel I have been the one who has derived so much benefit from being involved - the stronger community bonds we have forged, the opportunity to meet wonderful people and engage in meaningful conversations during the cleanup.”