Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotary Club President Tim Newman and David Barkhausen show off the club’s new sign on Route 176 in Lake Bluff. Photo by Cyn Sansing Mycoskie of www.cynimage.com

As part of its recently launched “Clean Communities Coalition” litter clean-up initiative, the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotary Club has “adopted” 2-mile segments of both Route 176 in Lake Bluff and Waukegan Road in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.

The Route 176 portion stretches from the Lake Bluff Village Green beyond Waukegan Road. The Route 60 segment runs from Route 176 south to Route 60. Signage indicating the Rotary Club’s role in maintaining the cleanliness of these roads is posted at both ends of each of these highway sections.

“Our ‘Clean Communities Coalition’ project is special in two different ways,” said Club president Tim Newman. “It will be ongoing, and it will involve a large number of volunteers from the community as well as our members.”

Newman pointed out that the “adoption” of these sections of local highways was a small portion of their overall project.

“Our goal is to condition our members and community residents to go out of their way to pick up litter when they see it as they make their way around town and in their own neighborhoods.”

The Rotary Club will be stepping up its appeal for individuals to join their Clean Communities Coalition by a taking responsibility for portions of their streets and neighborhoods. They can volunteer by signing up on the Coalition’s website – www.lflbrotaryccc.org, sending an e-mail to volunteer@lflbrotaryccc.org, or calling the Rotary Club’s project chairman, David Barkhausen, at 847-482-1605.

“Our essential message is: ‘Don’t Let Litter Lie,’” Barkhausen said. “‘Please pick it up.’ We will be taking our campaign to groups of potential volunteers with a natural interest in joining our Coalition. Ultimately, if more residents develop the habit of picking up litter in their own neighborhoods and as they make their way around town, we will be successful in enhancing the natural beauty of our towns.”