By JAN GRIFFEY/Editor

COLUMBIANA — A group of hard-working and community-minded Columbiana residents will help the city make a good impression on visitors this Liberty Day.

Ouida Mayfield and Dr. Stancil Handley, both city council members, are co-chairing Clean-Up Columbiana Day, along with the Columbiana Beautification Board, which sponsors the event.

Clean-Up Columbiana Day is set for Saturday, June 23, from 7 to 11 a.m. and its goal is to make Columbiana “clean and green” for Liberty Day.

“We’re planning on meeting at 7 a.m. at the gazebo in front of City Hall,” Mayfield said. “We will have the bags to put the trash in, as well as water. We will also have tools to pick up trash with. We do ask that volunteers bring gloves to wear while they work.”

Mayfield said the city needs volunteers to help.

“We’re asking that church groups, civic groups, school groups, sports teams, scouts, cheerleaders and individuals just show up,” she said.

Participation, typically, has been good for the clean up effort, Mayfield said.

“Some years it’s been great. Others years have been not as good. It really depends on the weather. We’ve been rained out twice.”

Forecasters predict this Saturday will be perfect weather for cleaning up Columbiana.

“We’re meeting at 7 a.m. because it will be cooler,” Mayfield said. “We have city maps and we will be giving volunteers an area to clean up. Mr. (Alex) Dudchock, Shelby County manager, is cooperating with us and will have his people pick up trash on the major highways coming into Columbiana,” she said.

The Columbiana Beautification Board is responsible for a number of practices and events that help promote a beautiful Columbiana, including the yard of the month designation and the recently-added business of the month.

The Beautification Board also sponsors the holiday wrapping of the light poles and bows that go on those polls. In addition, the group purchased new garland and bows for the 13 new light poles running along the new sidewalk from the Alabama Power building to Sterrett Street. It also organizes and hosts the city’s annual Christmas parade.

The group also sponsors the Welcome to Columbiana signs and Mayfield said she hopes the new welcome sign on Shelby County 47, to replace one that was vandalized, will be up by Liberty Day.