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Walking on sunshine

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Students learn lessons in environment, public service with adopted highway near Luverne
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By
Mavis Fodness

Luverne Middle School students completed their annual highway cleanup Friday under clear, sunny skies.
For the past two decades eighth-graders have walked the 10 miles of ditches along South Highway 75 picking up garbage each fall and spring.
About half the class walks in the fall, and the other half walks in the spring. “Every eighth-grader does it at some time,” said middle school principal Jason Phelps.
He said Tom Lanoue talks to students during his earth science classes about caring for the environment and about the importance of community service.
About 50 students donned reflective safety vests and split into five groups, each collecting garbage — mostly food wrappers — from two miles of ditches.
State highway workers later picked up about 50 bright yellow bags filled by the students.
Phelps, who walked with one group of students, said drivers slowed down as they approached the students, and some honked in approval.
“Drivers were very respectful,” he said.
Thirty-six students in the high school peer helping program also completed garbage pickup Friday afternoon along a two-mile stretch of North Highway 75.
“Ditch walking is a simple way for student to give back to their community and promote all of the great work the organization does in the community,” said adviser Amy Cook.
The ditch cleanup program is part of the state’s Adopt-A-Highway program and takes its origin from the federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965.
The state program began in 1990 and centers on volunteers collecting litter from the roadside ditches.
A similar county program began in 1991.
More county roads are available. Interested groups can contact the Rock County Highway Department for more information. Their phone number is 283-5010.

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