Trash Bash celebrates McGhee Tyson’s 75 years
Robert Norris | (bobn@thedailytimes.com)
The Big Orange Trash Bash is giving a nod to its host this year.
Instead of orange litter bags in a Power-T formation on McGhee Tyson Airport’s front lawn, as has been done in previous years, the bags form the number “75” in honor of the airport’s 75th anniversary.
Representatives of the sponsors — Keep Blount Beautiful, McGhee Tyson Airport Authority, Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the Alcoa-Maryville-Blount County Landfill — put the bags in place Monday.
The display was set up in time for the University of Tennessee homecoming game against Troy University on Saturday. The 40-foot-by-40-foot “75” will stay in place until Sunday.
Fans arriving for the football game will be treated to a display of community unity.
“We do it to show the power of individuals who make a visible difference to our community,” said Charlene DeSha, coordinator/director of Keep Blount Beautiful.
“We picked up more litter this year than ever before,” she said.
It also made Blount County a cleaner place, and hopefully raised awareness about the impact of litter.
“A lot of people don’t know it’s illegal to litter. You can get a ticket for littering, and the county and the cities are cracking down on that,” DeSha said.
Over the years, more than 1,800 volunteers have picked up over 14 tons of trash for the Big Orange Trash Bash litter-awareness campaign.
