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<span style="font-size:1.0pt"><img width="325" height="73" style="width:3.3854in;height:.7604in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D7AE2D.433B4C80" alt="Title: City of Durham Communications Department"></span><span style="font-size:1.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="color:#00467E">News Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:#00467E">Amy Blalock, Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:#00467F">919.560.4123 x11253 | 919.475.7735 (mobile</span><span style="color:#00467E">)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:#00467E">Amy.Blalock@DurhamNC.gov</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:50.0pt;color:#00467F">News Release</span><span style="color:#00467F;text-transform:uppercase">
</span><br>
<span style="color:#EF3D42">For Immediate Release: September 20, 2021</span><span style="color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Durham’s Annual Big Sweep Litter Cleanup Set for October 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Volunteers Encouraged to Clean Up Sites for #DurhamBigSweep<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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DURHAM, N.C. – If you want a cleaner community, grab your family and friends and head out to a neighborhood, park or creek to pick up litter as part of Durham’s Annual Big Sweep next month.
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<a href="http://www.durhambigsweep.org/">Online registration</a> for this year’s October 2 event is now open for the annual fall cleanup that brings together volunteers to remove litter. The
<a href="http://www.durhambigsweep.org/">website</a> also links to COVID-19 event protocols and will provide additional available cleanup dates for individuals to join as more events are scheduled throughout October.
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Since 2005, more than 6,000 Durham Big Sweep volunteers have collected 190,000 pounds of litter from trails, parks, roadsides, and waterways. “Big Sweep shows the power of the Durham community,” said Keep Durham Beautiful Executive Director Tania Dautlick.
“We can all do our part to transform litter hot spots into green spots.” <o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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New for this year, Big Sweep organizers are encouraging volunteers to use the <a href="https://litterati.org/">
free Litterati smartphone app</a>, available for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/litterati-crowdsource-cleaning-the-planet/id982782776?pt=117703122&ct=website?mt=8">
Apple</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.litterati.android&pcampaignid=MKT-Other-global-all-co-prtnr-py-PartBadge-Mar2515-1">
Android</a> devices, to more easily track and categorize the litter picked up. Once logged into the app, volunteers should select “Challenges” and use the code “bigsweep21” to join. The data collected will be used to track progress and better target litter
sources and locations for future clean-up efforts.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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Keep Durham Beautiful, along with City and County departments, organize and support the cleanups. Big Sweep coordinators provide bags, gloves, litter grabbers, and vests for volunteers. The City of Durham’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department and Durham
County General Services Department then ensure that all collected litter is properly recycled or sent to the landfill.
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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For more information and to register for a litter clean-up event, visit the Durham Big Sweep
<a href="http://www.durhambigsweep.org/">website</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">About Keep Durham Beautiful
</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
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<a href="http://www.keepdurhambeautiful.org/"><span style="background:white">Keep Durham Beautiful</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white"> is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the
</span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/733/General-Services"><span style="background:white">City of Durham General Services Department</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white"> and
</span><a href="http://dconc.gov/"><span style="background:white">Durham County</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white"> to encourage residents, businesses, and community organizations to protect the environment and enhance the appearance of Durham
through cleanup events, beautification projects, waste reduction, and educational activities. To learn more follow on
</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/KeepDurhamBeautiful"><span style="background:white">Facebook</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white">,
</span><a href="https://instagram.com/keepdurhambeautiful/"><span style="background:white">Instagram</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white">,
</span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/keepdurhambeautiful/"><span style="background:white">Flickr</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white">, and
</span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/DurhamBeautiful"><span style="background:white">Twitter</span></a><span style="color:black;background:white">.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="color:black"><br>
</span><b>About the Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division<o:p></o:p></b></p>
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The <a href="https://durhamnc.gov/692/Stormwater-GIS-Services">Stormwater and GIS Services Division</a> with the City of Durham Public Works Department is guided by the City’s
<a href="https://durhamnc.gov/183/Strategic-Plan">Strategic Plan</a> goals of stewardship of the City’s physical and environmental assets and innovative and high-performing organization. Activities include storm drainage design and plans review; inspecting
and maintaining City-owned drainage systems; enforcing stormwater ordinances and regulations; education and outreach; stream monitoring, restoration, and watershed master planning; maintaining multiple layers of the City’s geographic information; and stormwater
billing. To learn more follow on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DurhamNCStormwater">
Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DurhamStormH2O">Twitter</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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