The Total Cleanup of the Bluff will be Saturday, March 23, in preparation for an event expected to draw thousands of visitors to the town. The Total Eclipse of the Bluff will be April 8, with a weekend full of events planned before the main attraction.
Volunteers will have an opportunity to not only make the community shine, but have their names included in a drawing for incentive prizes.
Poplar Bluff and Butler County will host people from across the United States and the world, said the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter. While the upcoming eclipse will be visible across North America, Poplar Bluff is being called one of the best places to see the event because of the length of totality.
Halter welcomed community leaders Thursday afternoon to decide how they and residents plan to spiff up and make a good impression for the expected visitors.
USA Today published Poplar Bluff is one of the top places United States to be the eclipse, Halter said.
“When that happens, you get the phone calls,” he said. “This is a daily thing. People coming in buses from Iowa, California, from Arizona, all over and they’re coming to Poplar Bluff. We have an opportunity in our area to get a lot of new looks in our region and just pop up the entire region. We obviously want to make a very good first impression. Hopefully, they’ll come back and see us.”
“Some of you may not be as close to this eclipse madness as Robbie (Myers) and I are, but I’m telling you right now that it is insane,” Halter said. “The amount of calls and requests and inquiries we’re getting from not just all over our region, but all over the country in some places all over the world.”
Myers is the Butler County Emergency Management director.
“This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community and beautify our surroundings while paving the way for a memorable event,” Halter said.
The group began planning an event aimed at preparing the town for the upcoming solar eclipse weekend.
On March 23, volunteers will gather at the Black River Coliseum to kick start the cleanup efforts. Civic clubs, churches, community-minded individuals, businesses and school clubs are invited to participate.
The volunteers will start with breakfast and coffee from 7-8 a.m. Participants will receive essential cleanup supplies including trash bags, vests and gloves. Organizers will assign specific areas for cleanup to ensure maximum coverage across town.
After the cleanup activities, lunch will be provided at noon as a gesture of gratitude for their hard work and dedication.
As a token of appreciation, all participants will automatically be entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes. Prizes include two tickets to see Night Ranger and two tickets to Jeff Foxworthy. Additionally, all participants will be entered into the 48/48 drawing, which has a current value exceeding $5,000.
Among those attending the organizational meeting were Butler County Eastern District Commissioner Butch Anderson, Poplar Bluff City Manager Matt Winters, Butler County Community Resource Council members, representatives of the Poplar Bluff Schools and W.E. Sears Youth Center, city street Superintendent Jerry Lawson and Assistant Street Superintendent Kyle Batten; Chris Waite of the Parks and Recreation Department, Matt Wilkerson of the Missouri Department of Transportation, and Kim Allison, youth program associate representing Butler County Extension.
For any inquiries, contact the Chamber at 573-785-7761.
Posting a comment requires free registration:
Menu
