In January of 2005 the Beautification and Conservation Subcommittee of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corporation, held public meetings and found that the Lehigh Acres Community is offended by carelessness and spreading trash! The subcommittee called the Lehigh Pride Team asked the LACPC to adopt almost four miles of Lee Boulevard and organized a cleanup on Earth Day, April 22, 2005. Following that action those people that worked together from several organizations in Lehigh Acres decided to form a team to combat litter and dumping and started to organize in June. The Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce and Keep Lee County Beautiful’s Rudy Busch offered their assistance and affiliation. As the meetings continued we developed a mission, chose a name, and conducted a contest for the slogan and a logo. The local newspapers have been kind to us and told our story.

     We visited the Sheriff, Mike Scott, the County Commissioner, John Albion, talked to Rick Roberts, head of Code Enforcement, and Bill Newman the Director of Lee Solid Waste. Each of these people gave us their help and under Commissioner Albion several improvements were made in policy that resulted in an improvement in services. Building sites have been cleaned up, dumping has been picked up off the streets to a greater extent, the local Sheriff’s division under Captain Tamayo is more aware of the penalties and procedures. We plan to not only enlist more young people with the help of several organizations, but get all Adopt a Road groups to meet after the morning cleanup for a picnic and rally.

     We are calling for the town to come together and make a difference in the appearance of Lehigh Acres! Not to mention having fun doing the work.

     For more information, see “What We Do”.

From news-press.com: Letter by John Miller.