“There are some things AI simply cannot do” AI is a funny thing. Have you played around with it yet?...
The Chairman’s Corner – Summer 2025
BY JEFF HELMS, CHAIRMAN, ALABAMA PALS
The photo is of a trashcan in the passenger floorboard of his golfcart. The note says, “When it’s full, I’m finished.”
My neighbor is just one of the unsung heroes of Alabama PALS. Every week or two, he patrols the busy road that flanks his Elmore County home with a grabber in hand — collecting everything from empty beer and soda cans to construction debris and, oddly enough, discarded toothbrushes. He’s never attended a PALS meeting or even used trash bags emblazoned with our logo, but my friend is just as much a part of our mission. Like most of us, he understands tackling the problem of litter doesn’t begin with complaining about the interstate or neglected city streets. It starts with the road in front of us.
It’s easy to feel discouraged when confronted with a huge task. We watch the news or browse the internet and feel helpless. How can one person make a positive impact when the challenges of divisiveness, crime, poverty and anxiety are so pervasive?
We open our eyes to the opportunities in front of us — right here, right now.
Longtime PALS advocate and fundraiser George McMillan understood the power each of us has to make a difference. Growing up in Butler County, George dedicated himself to public service at an early age. He served as president of the Auburn University Student Government Association and rose to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. He later was elected lieutenant governor and went on to establish organizations like Birmingham’s City Stages and the Black Belt Community Foundation. Like his work with Alabama PALS, George’s passion for these organizations was driven by a singular goal — make Alabama a better place to live, work, worship and play.
For years, George was among Alabama PALS’ biggest cheerleaders — singing its praises in the halls of government and the executive offices of corporate titans. George wasn’t intimated by the problem of litter. He used his God-given gifts for relationship building and friendship to do what he could.
We miss George, but we are encouraged to know countless others in our PALS family wake up each morning ready to make their corner of Alabama more beautiful.
As you enjoy our state’s lakes, rivers and beaches this summer, don’t be discouraged by evidence of careless, thoughtless or even lazy litterers. Rather, be inspired by those who choose to make a positive difference — beginning with the road in front of us.
In Memory of Lt. Governor George McMillan
It is with the heaviest of hearts that Alabama PALS bids farewell to our dear friend, former Lt. Governor George McMillan. We invite you to join us in remembering and honoring George’s lifelong service to the people of Alabama. A dedicated public servant, visionary leader, and true gentleman, George left an indelible mark on our state. His kindness, humility, and signature smile touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed.
Please keep his beloved family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Message from AL DOT – Summer 2025
Message from John Cooper – Director, Alabama Department of Transportation
As we move into the summer months, it is a good time to reflect on our shared responsibility to keep Alabama’s roadways clean and safe. The recent “Don’t Drop It on Alabama” Spring Cleanup demonstrated what we can achieve when we work together. Cities, counties, schools and volunteer groups all around the state participated in one of the most successful campaigns to date.
At the Alabama Department of Transportation, we see firsthand the impact of litter on our roads. In 2024, ALDOT spent $9 million on litter cleanup. Litter not only takes away from the beauty of our state but also poses safety hazards and environmental concerns.
As many Alabamians plan road trips this summer, I urge everyone to take simple steps to prevent litter.
Buckle up. Every trip, every time
Dispose of trash properly
Never throw anything out of a car window
Properly secure loads when hauling loose items
Let’s all do our part to keep Alabama beautiful and safe.
Clean Campus Coordinator Message – Summer 2025
Message from Shay Grant – Clean Campus State Coordinator
The summer is winding down and it’s time to start making back to school plans! As you are planning for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, I hope you will make the Clean Campus Program part of your plans! The Clean Campus Program was all over Alabama during the 2024-2025 school year and I hope to be invited to be a part of even more schools and events this year! I enjoyed being part of so many events from school visits to earth day celebrations to water festivals sharing the anti-litter message, as well as working with students and teachers to come up with ways to implement the Clean Campus Program. Please go to www.alpals.org to enroll or renew your membership for the 2025-2026 school year!
The Clean Campus Scrapbook Contest information can be found in this newsletter with applications due back in our office on October 10th. Please include pictures of cleanups, campus beautification projects, recycling successes, or anything else that made your campus shine last year. Remember, 1st prize is $1,000, 2nd is $750, and 3rd is $500 for your school, so it is well worth the effort!
Don’t forget to enroll or renew your membership in the Clean Campus Program for the 2025-2026 school year. The program is completely FREE to all Alabama schools thanks to the generosity of ALFA, Vulcan Materials, and Coca-Cola. More information and registration forms can be found at www.alpals.org. Please call or email me with any questions or to schedule me to come to your school, class, or group, (334) 263-7737 or [email protected].
Together, we can build a cleaner, greener Alabama—one campus at a time. –Shay
State Adopt-A-Mile Coordinator Message – Summer 2025
Message from Christy Waddell – State Adopt-A-Mile Coordinator
Every piece of trash left behind harms our environment, pollutes our waterways, and endangers wildlife. It makes our communities look neglected and can even lower property values and discourage tourism.
When we pick up litter, we’re doing more than cleaning up—we’re taking pride in our towns, protecting our natural resources, and showing respect for future generations. Clean roads, streams, and neighborhoods reflect a community that cares.
It starts with one person. One bag. One mile. And that’s why we need YOU! Whether you’re an individual, business, or community group, anyone can adopt a mile or stream. It takes all of us working together to keep Alabama clean and beautiful.
There are still many county roads and state/federal highways in need of adoption. If you’re interested in joining the Alabama PALS team, reach out today—I’d be happy to help you find a location you can call your own. Let’s keep Alabama looking its best—one mile, one stream at a time. Together, we can make a lasting difference.
–Christy
The 2025 Governor’s Awards Program
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • 12 Noon Wynlakes Country Club, Montgomery, Alabama
Make Plans Now to Join Us On This Special PALS Day! Bring your chapter leaders, volunteers and others that share a vision of a cleaner and more beautiful Alabama. We look forward to having you and your guests join us for this special Awards day.
Competition is open to ALL Alabama City and Counties
Nominations for outstanding anti-litter projects by individuals, organizations, businesses, civic groups, PALS Chapters and Affiliates, schools, etc. will be accepted in following categories.
Vulcan Volunteer of the Year
County
City
Special
Media
Coca Cola “Don’t Drop It On Alabama” Award
Education
Judicial Law Enforcement
Business and Industry
Adopt A Mile
Adopt A Stream
Don Hines Memorial Award
Jean McCrady Service Award
Coastal Cleanup Award
Spencer Ryan Community Connections Award
Nominations should include name of nominee, name of person nominating, description and classification of nominee, location of nominee’s anti litter activity, size of area affected, number of individuals involved, length of time of project, and a narrative of work accomplishments.
Final judging for the statewide awards will be determined only from nominations forwarded to the PALS Office.
Nominations MUST be submitted to the PALS office at 8136 Old Federal Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 by October 10, 2025.
Statewide winners will be recognized with a handsome plaque to be presented at the PALS Governors Awards Program on November 12, 2025.
We wish you and your groups the best and look forward to recognizing each of your winners!!!!!
AL PALS Clean Campus – Summer 2025
Making an Impact for a Cleaner Alabama
It has been a busy and exciting year for the Alabama PALS Clean Campus Program! This year, I had the privilege of visiting many schools across our great state, ranging from elementary schools to colleges, to promote our shared mission of keeping Alabama clean and beautiful. I spoke with students from elementary schools to college about ways they can make a difference in their homes, schools, and communities. I like to emphasize the ripple effect: small changes lead to big impacts. It all starts with you! Your actions can lead to a big problem or a big solution.
Many of our state’s community colleges actively participate in Alabama PALS (People Against a Littered State) programs, including the Spring Clean-Up and Adopt-a-Mile. This year, Jamie Mitchell, PALS Executive Director, and I had the honor of speaking to the Freshman Class of 2028 at Miles College. These students have enthusiastically joined the Clean Campus Program, and we are excited to see how their leadership will impact not only the beautiful campus of Miles College but also the surrounding community of Fairfield, AL.
Christy Waddell, our Adopt-a-Mile Coordinator, and I visited Council Traditional School in Mobile on our way to the annual Coastal Cleanup. Council Traditional, an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, is encouraging its fifth graders to explore the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These students are delving into how local governments and businesses can make a difference. As part of their IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition in May, they presented environmental issues tied to their chosen SDG and proposed actionable plans to address them locally. The enthusiasm of these fifth graders was contagious! A group of them even participated in the Coastal Cleanup zone at Dauphin Island!
Bear Exploration Center’s Green Team in Montgomery has been a part of the Clean Campus Program since 2017. They have an amazing group led by the art teacher, Mary Bonikowski. It’s no wonder they often have winners in the Poster Contest, and they also usually enter the scrapbook contest. The Green Team not only keeps their campus clean but also does many beautification projects around the school and builds school pride. Bear has a wonderful outdoor classroom where they grow vegetables, flowers, herbs and have a great composting bin.
Montgomery Christian School has gotten involved in the Clean Campus Program for the first time year. The school is looking forward to the spring poster contest and taking plenty of pictures to document their journey to put into a scrapbook to enter the scrapbook contest in the fall. I was invited to visit their Kindergarten and First Grade Classes. I read aloud a book about looking out for litter and listened to their ideas on how they can keep their campus litter free starting with being “litter getters” on the playground during recess. I look forward to following their journey with PALS.
The Student Government of Grand Bay Middle School invited me to help kick off their clean campus program as they prepared for the first clean-up of the year. After my presentation they worked on posters to get their student body excited about cleaning up their campus. Great leadership skills are being developed and put to great use for their campus and community.
We had many great entries in the Poster and Recycled Art Contests. I was able to participate in a variety of Earth Day events this year at schools and at the Montgomery Zoo. PALS was also invited to be a part of Pike County and Tallapoosa County Water Festivals for fourth graders. With so many schools participating in so many events that provide education and beautification opportunities, we believe that the Alabama PALS mission statement is alive and well! We see it every day… “Alabama Communities Working Together for a Cleaner and More Beautiful Alabama.”
As you prepare for the 2025-2026 school year, please join the Clean Campus Program. If you are interested in scheduling a visit or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at (334) 263-7737 or via email at [email protected]. All Alabama PALS programs are offered to schools free of charge, thanks to our invaluable state partnerships and corporate sponsors. Together, let’s continue fostering a culture of environmental stewardship across Alabama. Here’s to a cleaner, brighter future!
Stapleton School
Stapleton School is a quaint little school in Baldwin County—the 2nd smallest elementary school in the county, as a matter of fact. To ride past us, you wouldn’t think there’s a lot going on, but you’d be wrong. Nestled in gorgeous old oak trees on a slightly hilly terrain, there are parts of our campus that resemble a scene in a painting. We have a small stream that turns into a babbling brook during the wetter times of the year. There are croaking frogs, singing birds, and many other creatures taking advantage of this tiny, hidden gem. The inspiration behind Stapleton School being an environmentally minded school is evident.
Teaching children life lessons goes right in hand with teaching the AL standards. It’s the simple things: work together, clean up after yourself, get along with others, etc. At Stapleton, we have integrated those simple ideas into the nature aspect of things: working together to make our school environmentally friendly, keeping our campus clean, and getting along with others—creatures, that is.
Using grants received from Gulf Coast RC&D, our local education supporter, NBCEE, along with various donations from local businesses, we started transforming our school. When I say “we”, I’m talking about students, parents, school staff, Master Gardeners, local church members, etc.! It started with a butterfly garden filled with native plants and transitioned into working with Alabama Wildlife Federation to expand into a full-scale, certified Outdoor Classroom. Our stations include a frog pond and bog, a songbird garden, a pollinator garden, and a recently added dry creek bed and pitcher plant bog. All of these stations, as well as others, are in the heart of our school—easily accessible and viewed daily by all. The children named the resident frog in the pond “Timmy,” noticed chickadees raising a clutch in one of our birdhouses, and find all sorts of caterpillars, butterflies, and other interesting insects.
While greenhouses aren’t typically something you see at elementary schools, we’ve got an awesome one! Our principal, Jim Perry, secured a grant to fund an incredible greenhouse with all the bells and whistles. We’ve worked with Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Master Gardeners to help teachers learn about planting and gardening which in turn gets taught to the students. Our students recently transplanted seedlings grown in the greenhouse and used the plants as Mother’s Day gifts. Students and teachers alike are learning! We are excited about all of the teaching and learning possibilities the greenhouse can offer!
Each class at our school is tasked with taking on a volunteer-type project. Some classes collect donations for various local needs—firefighters, animal shelters, hospitals, etc. My class has always chosen to be “Habitat Heroes.” A few years back, we joined the AL PALS’ Adopt-a-Stream program, and we annually sign up for AL PALS’ Clean Campus program. My class routinely takes campus walks to clean up trash and keep it out of our stream. We sometimes get side-tracked by all the cool creatures and plants we find, but that’s quite all right with me! Students have learned to leave the wildlife where they find it and that the animals depend on us to keep their homes clean.
We also started a recycling program several years ago. We earned points by reporting recycling and were able to “buy” recycling cans to place around campus. The students are pretty good about recycling things when possible, and our custodian graciously takes the bags to a recycling station at the local fire station. We’ve also added water bottle refilling stations to cut down on all the plastic waste.
Life lessons truly go along with everything AL PALS is promoting. If we work together, we can make Alabama enjoyable for all. Cleaning up after ourselves doesn’t always come naturally. We must set the example and teach others that our decisions have an effect on the world around us. Alabama is ranked 4th place for having the most biodiversity in the United States. We lead the country in having the most species of turtles, crayfish, pitcher plants and freshwater fish, snails, and mussels. These creatures truly are dependent on getting along with us for their survival. Let’s do our best to keep the title, “Alabama, the Beautiful,” and remember, Don’t Drop it on Alabama!
Clean Campus Gallery
AL PALS by the Numbers – Summer 2025
Alabama People Against A Littered State (PALS) is dedicated to making our state more beautiful by sponsoring programs focused on cleaning up litter in Alabama’s streets, streams, campuses and coastlines. Below is the impact of that effort.
Millions in taxpayer dollars saved by PALS in litter control each year!
AI is a funny thing. Have you played around with it yet? Even if you haven’t intentionally, chances are you’ve had AI answer a question to something you have Googled. AI definitely seems to be the wave of the future, and I have wondered lately in which ways AI might help PALS be most efficient. I do believe we can use it for organizing and gathering statistics, optimizing collection, and even sorting materials; however, there are some things AI simply cannot do.
This spring, 64 counties, 25 Alabama Community College System Campuses, and countless community groups came together to collect litter off Alabama’s roadways, parks, neighborhoods, waterways, and campuses. We should have all the final numbers in soon, but it is shaping up to be one of the largest collective cleanups in “Don’t Drop it on Alabama” Spring Cleanup history. Many new groups joined PALS this year, and several counties have a renewed spirit in their efforts. Communities coming together to collect litter and the pride that comes as a result is something AI simply cannot do.
This year, in partnership with Osprey Initiative and the Alabama Community College System Campuses, we added a recycling component to the ACCS campus cleanup efforts. First, let’s acknowledge the campuses for collecting a record 27,478 total pounds of litter in 2025! What a feat! Of that, 549 pounds were in aluminum can and plastic bottle recycling. Northwest Shoals Community College collected the most recyclables and will receive a scholarship from Coca-Cola United for their efforts.
This project required planning as well as physical effort to collect and retrieve the recycling from each campus. Once again, people win out over AI!
I always tell people that our ultimate goal is that there would be no litter left for us to collect! The best way to ensure we are heading in that direction is through our Clean Campus Program. Shay Grant, our new Clean Campus Coordinator for the 2024-2025 school year, made great strides this year in educating our youth about the ills of litter. Shay visited thousands of students, hand-delivered thousands of coloring books to kids around the state, and posted regular social media posts to spread our anti-litter message. She has had an amazing transition from 33 years in the classroom to being a full-time litter warrior! Shay has created a new “Be a Litter Pirate” curriculum and dresses like a pirate to visit schools. AI just can’t compete with a pirate coming to your classroom to talk about litter!
We have also had a record year with our Adopt-A-Mile Program! Christy received 35 new applications in the first quarter of this year alone! She has been hard at work removing and replacing old signs and is a champion of organization and communication. A program like Adopt-A-Mile requires a high level of teamwork with our volunteers, ALDOT, County leadership, our sign maker, and our sign shipping company. It is quite a process, and there is no way AI could ever handle this monumental task!
In September, the 38th Annual Coastal Cleanup will be upon us, and it is always a wonderful day of fellowship as we “Get the Trash out of the Splash!” Over the years, our volunteers have collected over 1.8 million pounds of trash and debris off the beautiful Alabama shorelines. The ADCNR and Alabama PALS invite you to join us September 20, 2025, to add more to our total number of pounds collected! Yes, there are some really neat devices that can help collect litter on our beaches, but nothing beats thousands of volunteers looking in every nook and cranny for debris. Sorry, AI, the humans are the winners at the beach!
I have talked to many people who are having AI write their articles, emails, and papers now. Call me “old school,” but I just can’t do it. Anything you read from me will be my thoughts coming from my keyboard. Every thought may not be perfect, and it may not be as flowery as AI, but I can guarantee that my heart is behind my words… and more than that, my heart is fully committed to the success of Alabama PALS. To that end, there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm at PALS as we look to the future.
If your county or community would like to start a PALS chapter, please email me at [email protected] or call (334) 263-7737 to set up a time for us to visit your City Council or County Commission meeting. Our programs provide a great framework for litter pickup and prevention, and we would love to help you get started. In closing, I do believe that AI will have its place in some fashion for the future of PALS, but nothing beats our volunteers and communities that get out and do the “dirty work.” We are grateful for each of you, and we invite you to join us as we continue our fight against litter in Alabama.
We also invite you to recognize those that are out there doing the hard work of keeping our state litter free. On November 12th we will once again honor the amazing volunteers and groups at the Annual Alabama PALS Governor’s Awards. Please take a moment to nominate those that have put in the work this past year on page 25. Thank you again to each of you who make this organization so special!
