Keep Rutherford County Beautiful

We'd like to give a big thank you to Broad River Water Authority for sponsoring the Green Scholarship this year! The scholarship went to Delaney Kinter, a well-deserving student at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy who is pursing a degree in Environmental Science Research at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte this fall.

This scholarship is offered every year to a Rutherford County student pursing a degree related to environmental stewardship, and KRCB is grateful to the sponsors who make this opportunity possible. Stay tuned for next year's scholarship launching in early 2027. 🌿

Join us in celebrating a successful Earth Month in Rutherford County! 🌎🎉

Community members came together for Spring Litter Sweep, leading 17 sweeps with 190 volunteers and over 3,000 pounds of litter collected across the county. KRCB's Spring Litter Sweep is held alongside NCDOT's, and collectively, volunteers and NCDOT crews cleaned up over 50 areas in Rutherford County!

The KRCB team also visited and educated elementary and middle schoolers throughout the spring, sharing about ways to make our county greener and cleaner. From watershed education to upcycling to pollinator plants, the KRCB team is thrilled to educate students during Earth Month and any time about how to help our county and planet.

From dedicated leaders during Spring Litter Sweep, to RecycleBot Challenge judges and donors, to the Green Scholarship committee, this was all made possible by our dedicated community members. Thank you for making Earth Month a success!

See the full Earth Month Round-up here: https://www.keeprcncbeautiful.org/post/earth-month-results

Congratulations are in order for this year's Green Scholarship winners! 🎉

Delaney Kinter, a senior at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (TJCA), has been selected as the recipient of the $1,200 Green Scholarship. From cleaning up our rivers after Hurricane Helene to being president of Envirothon Club, Delaney has demonstrated a proven commitment to environmental responsibility. She plans to pursue studies in Environmental Science Research at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte this fall.

Casse McFarland, a senior at East Rutherford High School, has been awarded the $500 Green Scholarship. Casse is a dedicated tri-sport athlete, who is motivated to pursue a career that can positively impact the environment and contribute to sustainable solutions for the future. She plans to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering at Catawba Valley Community College this fall.

Join us in congratulating Delaney and Casse, and wishing them all the best in their future endeavors! 👏

Read more about our Green Scholarship recipients here: https://www.keeprcncbeautiful.org/post/2026-green-scholarship-winner-announced

We have so much thanking to do for our Spring Litter Sweep teams this year! 🌿

Team Moyers cleaned up Westbrook and Thompson Rd 👏
Team Fred and Lisa cleaned up Old Ball Park Rd 👏
Team Cliffside cleaned up and beautified around the Cliffside sign 👏
Team Befesa cleaned up Hicks Grove Road 👏
Team Dalen and friends cleaned up Painters Gap Rd 👏
Team Chimney Rock cleaned up Chimney Rock Village👏
Team TDA cleaned up Coxe Rd👏
Team ROC and Town of Spindale cleaned up the Thermal Belt Rail Trail in Spindale👏
Team Rutherfordton Robotics cleaned up around Rutherfordton Elementary 👏
Team Gilberts cleaned up Bu**er Hollow and Ellenboro Henrietta Rd 👏
Team Rutterford and their Bible Study Group cleaned up Kiwani's Park👏
Team Cub Scouts cleaned up Kiwani's Park👏
Team Mu Beta Phi Military Fraternity cleaned up Walmart in Forest City👏

AND more! There are still teams out hosting sweeps and keeping the momentum going. Join us in thanking all of our Spring Litter Sweep teams this year for their hard work and dedication to keeping our county beautiful. Together, we can create a cleaner and greener future for Rutherford County. 🌎

Roxi had a blast visiting the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy kindergarten classes this morning! She helped read “The Adventures of a Plastic Water Bottle” and “Stella Novella and the Last Straw” to the students, who shared many wonderful ideas about ways to be earth heroes every day.

Thank you for having us, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy! 🌱

The results are in for this year's RecycleBot Challenge! 🌎

It is our pleasure to announce the finalists pictured here, with many thanks to the creativity, dedication, and imaginations of third graders across Rutherford County. 🌿

We are incredibly grateful to all participants, teachers, judges, supporters, and volunteers who contributed to making the 2026 RecycleBot Challenge a success. Together, we can look to the power of creativity and environmental stewardship to make a cleaner, greener future for Rutherford County and beyond.

Special thank you to our partners and sponsors at Rutherford County Library, KidSenses Children's INTERACTIVE Museum, Chimney Rock State Park, and Scoop Ice Cream for supporting our county's third graders this year!

See the full announcement about the RecycleBot Challenge finalists here: https://www.keeprcncbeautiful.org/post/2026-recyclebot-challenge-celebrates-young-innovators

Only one day left to vote for your favorite RecycleBot! Get your votes in by tomorrow, Tuesday the 14th at 11:59pm to make your vote count. 🤖♻️

Thank you to all of the incredible volunteers who came out today for the Greatest American Cleanup in Spindale! This crew cleaned up over 200 pounds of litter from the Thermal Belt Rail Trail and the new North Slope Skate Park, making our town an even better place to live, work, and play.

Meanwhile, over in Cliffside, volunteers banded together to clean up litter, plant new greenery, and beautify the Cliffside sign. Thank you to each person who dedicated their time today to making Spindale, Cliffside, and our county a greener and cleaner place to live. 💚

Special thanks to Scott Weber with the Town of Spindale, NC and Eva Humphries with Cliffside for their support and efforts to make this all possible!

Let’s keep the momentum going! Want to join in on an Earth Day litter sweep and pollinator garden workday? Register at givebutter.com/roc-earth-day-extravaganza 🌎

Want to host your own sweep and join in on Spring Litter Sweep? Register at www.keeprcncbeautiful.org/sign-up-for-a-sweep ♻️

Voting for your favorite RecycleBot starts TODAY! 🌎⏳

We need your help to crown the Fan Favorite of the 2026 RecycleBot Challenge. Rutherford County 3rd graders submitted their creative, eco-friendly, and unique creations for your consideration.

Vote for your favorite nominees by liking the photo, or by voting in person at the Rutherford County Library (145 College Ave, Rutherfordton, NC). To help with voting, the RecycleBot name and story is in the photo caption.

Please share and tag your friends in the comments to get more votes. Voting is anonymous (no commenting student names, please!) and ends on Tuesday, April 14th at 11:59pm. Good luck to these amazing contestants, and happy voting! 🤖