The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — Saturday, April 27, was a busy day for sprucing up the community for those involved in the Vision 2025 Corridor Curb Appeal Initiative.
Volunteers joined in a community effort to pick up litter and debris and improve the appearance of the entrance corridors to the town of Clifton Forge.
Over 40 volunteers met at Town Hall, grabbed orange safety vests and garbage bags and spread out throughout the town to collect as much litter as possible.
The volunteers included representatives from Boy Scout Troop 2, Boys Home of Virginia, entire families and individuals focused on litter removal and making the Town look more inviting.
Volunteers included Bray-den Walton, Erik Honaker, Darren Honaker, Mason Honaker, Debbie and John Strott, Winter Crance, Maddox Crance, Mason Crance, Gabriel Halsey, Killian Bolton, Coreen Ames, Wyatt Ames, Zoa Burns, Greg Burns, Mott and Bill Atherholt, Martha Atherholt, Frankie Denton, Justin Kreft, Susannah Borduas.
Also: Madison Armontrout, Phillip Scott, James McGill, Frankie Commue, Andrew Rolond, Sekou Ture, Sincere Peters, Jason Felder, Carlos Brown, Christian Bass, Finn Andersen, Chris Harris, James Quantez, Anita Profitt, Austin Cole, Ethan Hillert, Gayle Hillert, and Darlene Burcham.
Spring Spruce Up is one of several events that the Corridor Curb Appeal Committee plans every year. This year’s Spring Spruce Up attracted the largest number of volunteers thus far.
“The town benefits from these dedicated volunteers who give up their Saturday mornings to make Clifton Forge look better,” said Town Manager
Darlene Burcham, facilitator for the Corridor Curb Appeal Committee. “We receive lots of positive remarks from citizens and sometimes special treats
— this year a group of our young volunteers went into the Dollar General store to purchase a few snacks and April Wills from Dollar General provided the group with snacks at no charge to thank them for their service.
“This is one example of the gratitude town residents have shown during the six years that we have been doing this,” she added.
Members of the Corridor Curb Appeal Committee hope that seeing multiple people running around town in orange vests with orange trash bags will encourage those people who still drop their litter on the streets, lawns and in the woods to look for ways to discard litter responsibly.
In addition to Spring Spruce Up on April 27, a sub-committee of the Corridor Curb Appeal Committee held its first Street Art Project. The goal was to enhance the cement steps in the rear of Jack Mason’s Tavern and the steps by Rose Street Parking lot with paint.
Planning for this initiative took several months. Professional muralists were contacted in addition to art teachers at local schools. Kaarn Thomas, art teacher at Clifton Middle School was interested in getting her students in Art Club involved and she told them about the project and asked them to submit designs.
Thomas also joined members of the Street Art sub-committee. Mott Atherholt chairs the committee and members include Nancy Newhard from Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center, Darlene Burcham and Jennifer Morris from the town of Clifton Forge, Madison Armontrout, an intern for The Alleghany Foundation, and Gayle Hillert.
The project is under the auspices of Vision 2025 Corridor Curb Appeal which is supported by The Alleghany Foundation.
Newhard thoroughly researched painting on cement, the most appropriate paint to use, and provided advice to the committee on supplies needed to embark on the project.
Once the designs were submitted by the CMS Art Club students, the Street Art Committee chose two and submitted the designs to Town Council for approval.
The committee met regularly to work out schedule for painting and sourcing supplies.
After volunteers Ethan Hillert power-washed the steps, and Mott and Bill Atherholt applied two coats of gesso paint primer, the CMS students arrived on April 27 to execute the designs they had developed.
Student artists/designers were Chase DePriest and Baylee Brown, while additional artists were Naaveah Wills, Lindsey Childs, Whitley Williams, Carlene Gilliam and Ali Gilliam.
Volunteer painters included Bill Atherholt, Ethan Hillert, Madison Armentrout, and Clifton Forge School of the Arts participants Justin Jiggetts, Josh Thompson and Laura Rainone.
At CMS, Art Club is only for seventh and eighth graders, although art is offered to grades 6-8. Students learn about numerous artists and are instructed in various mediums such as collage, printmaking, ceramics, mixed media and painting.
“My students and I were excited with creativity when we were given the opportunity to add some color to our town of Clifton Forge,” said Thomas. “I gave all my middle school students the opportunity to create a design, a design of their choice that could relate to the town’s history or a design that might bring color to the town. I know the artists are excited to transform a boring grey stairway by adding new vibrancy, color and expression to downtown Clifton Forge.”
“The wonderful result of this project will hopefully lead to other street art projects for our community,” said Street Art Chairperson Mott Atherholt.
“Kaarn and her students did a fantastic job. This has truly been a community effort and one that we hope will bring pride to all the folks in our community.”
Additional dates have been set to complete the step project since it requires two coats of paint and sealing before it is finished.
The artists and volunteers will continue to work on the steps until they are done.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
Over 40 volunteers turned out Saturday, April 27, to gather litter and debris from the entrance corridors of Clifton Forge. The Vision 2025 Corridor Curb Appeal Committee sponsored the Spring Spruce Up event as it has done every spring since April 2014. Volunteers included representatives from Boy Scout Troop 2, Boys Home of Virginia, entire families and dedicated individuals. This year’s Spring Spruce Up attracted the most volunteers thus far. These volunteers met at Clifton Forge Town Hall, then spread out throughout the town to collect as much litter as possible. (Photo Courtesy Vision 2025 Corridor Curb Appeal Committee)
