BROOKINGS – The Downtown Brookings Business District, a committee of the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, started a new litter cleanup program this past Sunday. The new program is one of several strategic initiatives the committee has embarked on this year.

“This new program is such a win not only for downtown Brookings but the entire community, ” Downtown Brookings Director Ashley Biggar said. “I’m so grateful for the overwhelming welcoming response fromall parties when I presented this idea.”

Keep Clean Downtown Brookings is a volunteer effort to remove litter in the Downtown Brookings Business District and keep the Brookings community clean in more ways than one. The Chamber will work with the Brookings County Drug Court participants and other groups requiring volunteer hours to clean downtown every Sunday during the spring, summer and fall months as weather and volunteer availability allows. This program is available for anyone looking to volunteer. Volunteers can sign up on the Chamber website.

“Our first time out was such a success,” Biggar said. “The participants were great and are so excited to continue this effort.”

“It felt good to give back to my community and keep it clean,” participant Steven Ramon said. “There is so much downtown. It was fun to explore and see that there’s so much to get out and do while volunteering.”

For more information, contact the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce at 692-8922 or email ashley@brookingschamber.org.