One of the largest annual beautification efforts in northwest Louisiana is quickly approaching, and its success lies in the willingness of the community to give of their time and energy.

Operation Clean Sweep is now in its 12^th year, providing an opportunity for residents to roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty for a worthy cause – cleaning up all corners of Bossier Parish as a grand wrap up to Louisiana’s statewide Love the Boot Week.

This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with the idea being that you focus on your own neighborhood to remove litter and debris. Volunteers can bring their bags of trash to the Bossier Sheriff’s Substation on Viking Drive, where they will enjoy a lunch provided for participants.

The idea for Operation Clean Sweep was born out Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian’s Whittington’s belief that a clean community is likely to experience lower crime rates because of the pride its citizens take in the area.

“Operation Clean Sweep is a great chance for all the folks in Bossier Parish to join forces and pitch in to keep our parish litter free,” says Sheriff Whittington.

The event has grown significantly each year, with nearly 800 volunteers participating in last year’s clean-up, spreading out across the parish to remove over 9 tons of trash and debris from roadways and other areas.  

“The event is important for our community as it unites us all toward a common goal,” adds Sheriff Whittington. “We’re excited for a fantastic turnout on Saturday, April 27^th, and we can’t wait to dig into some delicious jambalaya once all the hard work is finished.”

A collaboration between the City of Bossier City, Parish of Bossier, and Bossier Sheriff’s Office, Operation Clean Sweep is truly a volunteer-driven effort, with involvement from groups ranging from local banks to military organizations to schools and civic clubs. As the familiar saying goes, ‘it takes a village’ and this event highlights how well Bossier Parish’s residents come together for the greater good.

Volunteer group Keep Bossier Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), is one of the driving forces behind garnering support and participation in the annual clean-up. Executive Director Lynn Bryan says she is confident this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.

“I am always so proud of how well our community gathers when it really counts, and this event is one of those times,” Bryan says. “We’d love to break a volunteer record this year, which would make an unquestionable positive impact on our parish.”

Bryan reminds everyone that litter is more than just an unsightly annoyance in our communities. It contaminates our waterways, and contributes to environmental decline and negative consequences for our wildlife.

“Often, people don’t realize the ripple effect that litter has on the environment,” Bryan adds. “Small amounts of trash and debris add up quickly and have such widespread repercussions for our corner of the Earth. Our goal is to not only clean up our community, but it’s also to educate our residents to help prevent the act of littering in the first place.”

Bryan adds that Operation Clean Sweep dovetails well with Love the Boot Week because of the overarching message and efforts that both campaigns provide, which is an opportunity to put ideas into action to truly make an impact.

Love the Boot Week is scheduled for April 20-28, and while the campaign is headed up by KLB, the heart of the event is rooted in all of the various groups and organizations across Louisiana that join forces all week to clean up our state and showcase its natural beauty.

Volunteers for Operation Clean Sweep are asked to register so the number of participants can be tracked and the lunch can be planned accordingly. You can register at www.keepbossierbeautiful.com under the Volunteer/Upcoming Events tab. You’ll also receive a t-shirt, trash bags and gloves to assist in your clean-up activities.

Also as part of this year’s event, you can bring large items such as appliances, grills, and swing sets to the Airline High School gravel parking area to be properly disposed of free of charge. You don’t need register to bring large items for drop-off.

As advocate and activist Helen Keller once said, “Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.”