A lot of youths would have spent their Saturday watching television or hanging out with friends.

Members of the Boyd Scout Troop 106 of Central Christian Church in Ironton had work to do.

Twenty-three young men spent one Saturday last month cleaning up State Route 650 as part of their Adopt-A-Highway effort. This is one of several volunteer projects the scout troop undertakes each year.

On Nov. 8, the scout troop collected 98 bags of litter - an effort made all the more necessary and all the more difficult because of recent flash flooding in that area.

"The flood waters picked up toys, garbage, and lawn furniture from homes along the highway and deposited the stuff all along the ditches," Scoutmaster Dave Lucas said. "The boys worked especially hard this time. We had tires, TVs and auto parts to pick up."

While the community is reaping the benefit of a cleaner roadway, the young men who took part gained valuable lessons about litter and about community service.

"We don't think about picking up trash. This is a way we can serve our community. We're cleaning the place up," troop member Chris Stamper said.

This is the third time the group has picked up litter this year. The troop joined the Adopt-A-Highway program in May 2000. Their effort got the attention of Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 Deputy Director John Hagen.

"The members of Boy Scout Troop 106 have been very helpful with the Adopt-A-Highway program in Lawrence County, and we are pleased with their efforts to aid the district in roadway beautification," Hagen said.

Scout Trooper Committee Chairperson Rosemary Lucas said the troop recently donated 50 boxes of toys and other goodies to Operation Christmas Child. That international effort provides shoe boxes filled with toys and personal items as Christmas presents to children in other countries.