Helping hands from around the country

Visitors are drawn to Vermilion Parish and Louisiana for many reasons.
The area’s music, food and scenery offer options that are not replicated in other parts of the country. However, litter along roadways can take away from all of that artistic and natural beauty.
Those who came to enjoy the parish took some time Monday morning to pick a fight against litter.
More than two dozen visitors from around the country set off from Betty’s RV Park just outside Abbeville to pick up trash along Orange Drive. The travelers come from Canada, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Monroe, La., Michigan, Montana, Tennessee, Texas and Washington state.
Richard Heberlein of Ann Arbor, Mich., has made Vermilion a regular stop in his travels during the last 13 years.
“The reason we come down here is because it is such a beautiful state,” Heberlein said. “There is a lot of roadside litter that takes away from the beauty.
“We can’t clean up the state, but we can clean up the little bit that we use.”
Orange Drive is a short walk from Betty’s RV Park.
“A lot of the people who stay here use that area to walk,” said Betty Bernard, the RV park’s owner. “A lot of them have mentioned that they have noticed the amount of litter along the road. They couldn’t stand to see it anymore, so they decided to start doing something about it.”
Heberlein said he hopes this effort has an effect on others.
“Hopefully this is an impetus for others to get out and do the same kind of thing,” Heberlein said.
While no populated area is going to be completely litter free, Heberlein’s home state has legislation that keeps some of the trash off the ground.
“We have a bottle bill in Michigan,” Heberlein explained. “All the bottles and cans are returnable. It’s a dime for most of it.
“If you get rid of the bottles and cans, then you don’t have so much litter.”
No litter in an area can have a lasting effect.
“I think people don’t litter areas that are already clean,” Heberlein said. “If they see a bunch of litter, a bunch of bottles and cans, they think, what’s one more.”
Bernard said she is thankful for what her visitors are accomplishing.
“How nice it is for them to come here and give their time and energy,” she said.
They are still having fun, too.
“We went dancing last night,” Heberlein said. “We are going to go to Touchet’s in Erath. We’re taking it all in. We love the food, music and people.
“We just want to try t go give something back to all of it.”