Many times youth are maligned by our society as couch potatoes and looking for trouble. Likely you could put that title on more than youth, as I have seen plenty of adults wasting time and engaged in destructive acts.

Littering along highways and streams is a perfect example.

Most kids don’t drive until they are approaching adulthood but there certainly appears to be plenty of litter along our roads. Every spring for the past 25 years I have been involved in both waterway and road cleanups. For some reason, the arrival of spring seems to me the time to make up with Mother Nature and an opportunity to make right an insult the human race has flung in her face.

Usually a mixed crew of 10-12 people of all ages show up to help. The sportsmen’s club in our area, in an effort to connect with youth, offers a free youth volunteer membership to any kids who want to help with the work. I expected to see the same dozen or so people show up to comprise our motley crew.

When the 9 a.m. meeting came and we were gathering for assignments and safety directions, to my surprise, the crowd kept growing and growing! Soon the meeting room at the Boyers Sportsmen’s was full and then overflowing with 40 people. Kids and their friends and parents all showed up for the effort.

Once assignments were given and kids and adults were paired up, the effort began in earnest. I worked a section along the Slippery Rock Creek and the North Branch of the Slippery Rock. Unbelievable disregard for the environment was witnessed, but I also witnessed young people making tremendous efforts and sharing knowledge about things they learned in school about the planet and her ecosystems. Interacting in a positive way with these youngsters and listening to their insights encouraged my hope for the future stewardship of the planet.

The kids laughed when they saw my excitement in seeing a handful of young pine seedlings that had taken root. The trees were now at the foot tall and growing stage and looked very healthy. They were part of either a Game Commission or Conservation District project of several years ago in which we participated. The kids were excited to see wood ducks whistling through the tree tops at top speed. They often seemed to disappear in mid-flight into a den tree or nesting box. The boxes had been placed along the waterways as another conservation project the kids were part of, as well.

One problem with the big turnout is that we had to feed them. Highway cleanup is hungry work and lunch time was fast approaching. Being Easter week I thought of the Bible story when the crowds were being fed loaves and fishes, but I couldn’t dare hope for such a miracle. We did have hotdogs and sloppy Joes but not enough for this crowd! As I pondered my next move on the lunch project, an SUV slowed down next to me and a face peered out the drivers’ window.

It was Jason McBride the proprietor of McBride’s Pizza and Wings. He commented on the wonderful turnout and the good work. He then offered to help us out with four giant pizzas for the lunch effort with our group. Marvelous! Good deeds being paid forward … the Lord does work in mysterious ways … just saying.

Families, groups of kids and individuals made short work of 5 miles of highway and stream sides. The effort only took about three hours and it was a feel-good effort for all of us that cared for the environment. We got an early jump on Earth Day that is coming up on April 22. I whole-heartedly encourage all of you to take a little time from your busy lives to plant, clean up or build something that can make this world a better place.

One last thing … the kids did proudly receive their junior membership cards in a small informal ceremony and will join the old guys at the Opening Day of Trout at the Sportsmen’s Lake. They learned a valuable lesson, work hard then play hard!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.