COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

from Lake Norman Woman April 2022

HERE SHE IS

PattyKorn

IF YOU’VE TRAVELED THE STREETS OF LAKE NORMAN,

there’s a good chance you’ve seen her—the lady wearing yellow refl ection clothing from head to toe and carrying an orange bag. That’s Patty Korn, a Denver resident and tireless volunteer who spends countless hours picking up trash along our roadways. If you want to help, visit www.gofundme.com/litterfree-denver-nc.

What inspired you to pick up the litter on the streets of Denver?

After moving here in 2004, I was disappointed with— and disturbed by— how the roadways of this otherwise beautiful area were strewn with litter. I don’t want to be embarrassed by the amount of litter in my community, and I don’t want kids in this area to grow up thinking that this is how roads are supposed to look. Litter has not been a problem anywhere else I’ve lived, and I lived in numerous places during my 20 years in the Air Force.

Why is it important to you to make a difference in your community?

Because of the old saying, “What you do for yourself dies with you; what you do for others is your legacy.” is area is beautiful, but it’s all negated because our roads are covered in trash. I want to change that for future generations.

How much trash do you typically pick up in a day? What’s the most unusual thing you’ve encountered?

It depends on how much time I have that day and what roads I clean. In 2021, I picked up 766 bags of roadside litter, 369 bags of debris around curbs and medians, and numerous bulk items such as tires, mostly in eastern Lincoln County. I’ve picked up some things you don’t even want to imagine—it’s a dirty job, after all. I’d have to say the most unusual, though, are a toilet and a discarded hot tub.

What is your ultimate goal?

Not to have to do this anymore! I like the way the roads look once I’ve picked up the litter, but what I’d really like is for my e orts to no longer be necessary. It is frustrating how quickly the litter returns, so I can always use help in terms of both more volunteers and nancial support for litter pickup tools (which break frequently), gloves, highvisibility gear, Hefty Steel Sak trash bags for the median cleanups, and hand wipes. I have a Go Fund Me page (see above) on which folks can contribute if they would like to help! w

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