Schuylkill Keep-It-Pretty on rebound, links back up with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
SUBMITTED PHOTO - SKIP Chair Mandy Fitpatrick (center), Schuylkill County Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator Kyle Swetz (far right) and volunteers clean up a portion of Pottsville's schools and recreation area.
POTTSVILLE – SKIP is coming back and is now an official county affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful once again.
SKIP, or Schuylkill Keep It Pretty, dates back to the late 1980s when it was a project of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
For the past few years, the group had been largely inactive but it is now seeing a resurgence in activity.
Supported by the Schuylkill County Commissioners in partnership with the Schuylkill Office of Solid Waste and Recycling, SKIP aims to coordinate and manage countywide cleanups, support county recycling events, and more.
“Schuylkill Keep It Pretty is dedicated to cleaning up litter and educating communities on litter prevention, solid waste management, recycling and waste reduction. Our goal is to create a better Schuylkill County for everyone to live, learn, work and visit,” said Mandy Fitzpatrick, SKIP Chair.
“The county is happy to support SKIP with anything the organization needs,” said Kyle Swetz, Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator.
The group also plans to provide environmental education opportunities for youth and communities and implement statewide programs such as Pennsylvania Adopt-A-Highway and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful initiatives.
In linking back up with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, SKIP completed a comprehensive community assessment which gathered data across six areas:
- Residents’ attitudes towards litter and community image;
- Existing litter prevention programs;
- Community and beautification leaders;
- Current waste and recycling policies;
- Past and ongoing community revitalization efforts;
- Active volunteer groups.
SKIP is planning a cleanup on November 16 along Tuscarora Mountain Road. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact SKIP for cleanup specifics and requirements. Mandy Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of Schuylkill Connects and Kyle Swetz, Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator, will serve as coordinators for SKIP affiliate programs. They can be reached at [email protected] or 570-628-1220.
“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is delighted to congratulate and welcome Schuylkill Keep It Pretty (SKIP) to our network. We extend our gratitude to the Schuylkill County Commissioners and the Office of Solid Waste & Recycling for their invaluable support and recognition of the benefits our programs, tools, and resources bring to residents. Together, we look forward to enhancing existing initiatives and warmly welcome SKIP to our Affiliate Network,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
About Author
