Volunteer Spotlight: Adopt-a-Mile
Meet Ron and Lisa
“We’ve been happily volunteering for twenty-seven years,” says Keep Smyrna Beautiful Adopt-a-Mile volunteer Lisa Brillhart, “and hope to continue for many more.” Shortly after they moved to their home on Concord Road in 1992, Lisa and her husband Ron saw a cleanup in action and decided it was a good way to get involved in their community. The Brillharts clean up their designated mile of S. Cobb Drive four times a year as a small but mighty, two-person Adopt-a-Mile group. They’re both retired from careers in sales and marketing and stay busy in the community and keeping up with nine grandchildren! Ron is also active with Kiwanis, while Lisa is a Cobb County Master Gardener.
After almost three decades doing litter clean ups, the Brillharts report there’s still a lot of trash on the roadways. This is a problem not only because of how it looks, but also because it eventually ends up in our waterways, harming wildlife and affecting the health of our oceans. The Brillharts hope that seeing Keep Smyrna Beautiful volunteers out on cleanups will remind people to throw away trash in the proper place. Adds Lisa, “We also preach Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!”
Being a part of Adopt-a-Mile up keeps the Brillharts involved and gives them a way to help their community. And an added bonus? Making connections. “You become friends with the staff and other volunteers, all the while helping Smyrna stay beautiful!”
If you’d like to join Ron and Lisa as volunteers with Keep Smyrna Beautiful, start by filling out our online volunteer application form or our group volunteer interest form. We’re always looking for more hands to help us achieve a clean and green community!
By: Eloise Holland, published 5.25.2022