Dear Editor:

Congratulations to the group of organizers and volunteers who collected more than 61,000 pounds of trash during the Keep Troup Beautiful annual cleanup. This event does so much for the surrounding communities and for our county. Unfortunately, more attention seems to be given each year to these wonderful folks who participate and not enough attention is given to why this project is even necessary.

Fact: This entire project is a reaction to those who throw trash along our highways, our vacant lots, and our beautiful lake.

Fact: We see so much of this trash in areas where those enjoying the lake take advantage of it.

Fact: We will continue to see this trash in and around West Point Lake, its highways and streets as long as those using it abuse that privilege.

Fact: We are going to have more problems around the lake because of the following reasons:

1) Fishermen are parking beside the highway to fish. This causes erosion to the grass area, creates dangerous areas around those parked cars and leaves trash along the way.

2)Fishermen are now crossing over the median, causing erosion and pulling out in front of on-coming vehicles.

3)Fishermen are now parking in the middle of the 4-lanes not realizing that the “No Parking” signs designate an area and not a violation only if you park on the side of the road where the signs are located.

I think it is time that our City and County officials and legal authorities take this situation seriously and think about the hazard created by the parked cars and problems it causes because of the trash, but could cause if someone is injured.

There is parking available in most of these areas. It may take a little time to walk from your parked car to the lake, but as a kid I walked three miles each way to fish at the local fishing-hole.

Barry Bennett

Taylor Len Drive