On Saturday, about 50 volunteers fanned out along the Ohio riverfront at four locations in Lawrence County to pick up trash and debris.

It was part of the annual Ohio River Sweep, organized by the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District.

According to Stephanie Helms, of the district, volunteers collected about a bag of trash each.

It is noteworthy that this year, they saw less trash than in years past.

Helms said this is part of a continuing trend and that, each year, they are faced with less to clean up.

She credited awareness of the event as a prime factor in bringing about the this change.

We commend the district and its volunteers for their work to keep the area clean and beautiful.

We also encourage everyone to continue to be mindful of their environment, make the effort required and take pride in their home.

If so, they will make this work less of a chore each year and that’s a good thing.