ODOT recognizes Sisters litter crew

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) recognized local volunteer crews that pick up litter on Central Oregon state highways at a luncheon in Bend on June 24.

Some 45 groups including at least five from the Sisters area received plaques honoring 10 or more years of volunteer cleanup of the roads.

“The plaques went to groups with 10 or more years of service,” said Diana Ridenour, coordinator for the region of ODOT’s statewide Adopt-A-Highway program that began in 1991 patterned after one developed in Ohio.

Crossroads Property Owners Association was given one of only two 15-year plaques and introduced as the longest participating group in the region. The Crossroads coordinator, Stetson Gifford, accepted the award on behalf of the local property owners association. Four other local groups earned 10-year plaques, including Kiwanis Club of Sisters, Friends of Black Butte, Sisters Reride Association and Les Schwab Taylor Tire Center of Sisters.

In addition, over $1,500 in gift certificates donated by Central Oregon businesses were presented to volunteer groups. Most certificates were for food serving businesses in the area.

“We invited each of the 45 groups to bring up to five participants,” said Ridenour. “Some sent fewer than five and other groups were not able to attend.

“There are 141 Adopt-A-Highway groups in Central Oregon,” Ridenour added. “They cover about 250 miles of adopted roads and that totals over 500 miles of highway counting both sides of the road.”

However, there are still 460 miles of unadopted roads in Central Oregon, plus similar programs available for county and city roads, she added. At least one stretch of Highway 126 between Sisters and Redmond is still open for adoption, she explained. Ridenour can be contacted at 388-6169 while Deschutes County information is available at 388-6581.

“We hope to have a recognition program every five years in the future,” Ridenour said. “To support that, we are looking for local area businesses to contribute to this effort since we cannot spend public funds on the program.” She invited local businesses to contact her if there is interest in supporting this program.