Port Arthur residents and even some from other cities got up and out early Saturday for a day of cleaning and sprucing up the city during the 2016 Keep Port Arthur Beautiful Trash Off.

“We are feng shuing the city — got to get rid of the bad energy and get good energy,” Lori Kelypas 54, of Port Arthur, said.

Along with Kim DeJohn, 53, of Port Arthur, the two spent their Saturday morning at the Trash Off.

Both participate regularly in the Helping Hands organization which monthly cleans an area of the city, but wanted to do more.

“We do this once a month with Helping Hands, but wanted to come out and help the rest of the city today,” Kleypas said. “Your environment makes you. If you clean up your environment, it makes everybody feel better.”

Scheduled from 8 a.m. until noon at the Barbara Jacquet Park, 200 Gilliam Circle, the annual Trash Off in Port Arthur is scheduled annually in conjunction with Don’t Mess with Texas Trash Off, a statewide event that draws tens of thousands of volunteers each year to help clean their communities.

Akei Mouton, 18, and Gabriela Magana, 18, both Memorial High School seniors, were the first to arrive to represent the school’s Family Consumer Sciences department programs: Texas Association of Future Educators and Family Careers Community Leaders of America.

“We wanted to be the early birds,” Mouton said.

Both girls agreed the early Saturday morning activity was worth passing up a day of sleeping late.

“We want to be proud of our city,” Magana said. “When my family members come from out of town, I want to show them how clean it is.”

Group sponsor Jean Goss said she expected about 15 to 16 students to participate in the annual event, which is a first effort for the group.

“Cleaning up their city and doing things like that raises the students’ consciousness of their surroundings and helps them get involved,” Goss said.

Though Saturday was the first time the two groups participated in the annual Trash Off, Goss said she had participated before, and learned that the two most picked up pieces of paper were cigarettes and straws.

Maggie Bolton is serving her third year as chairwoman for the Port Arthur Trash Off this year. Last year Southeast Texas, including those in Port Arthur, picked up six tons of litter and debris from area roadways. Last year in 235 events across the state 27,848 volunteers and participants cleaned 3709 miles of highway for a staggering 1.4 million pounds of litter collected.

Jasmine Simon, 20, of Beaumont; her sister Enjoli Cole, 24, of Port Arthur, and their friend Sabreene Johnson, 23, of Houston, were assigned an area of Memorial Boulevard to clean, and expected to have their work cut out clearing the busy thoroughfare of trash and debris.

“We do community service together, “ Cole said, noting most recently she had been involved in Bob Cat Builders, a service project in San Marcos. The group goes to different neighborhoods and restores houses.

Cole, who recently moved back to Port Arthur to attend graduate school at Lamar University, said it is important to give back to community — something she learned while away from home.

“Leaving and being able to bring those experiences back home is real important,” Cole said.

Vera Rutherford, communications director for Port Arthur’s Motiva Enterprises, came out Saturday to represent the refinery, while making plans to have others with her next year.

“I am here to be involved and work hand-in-hand with others and to identify ways to encourage others to get involved. Motive used to have a large group here, so we are hoping to get that going again next year.”

E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com

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