Volunteers unite to remove trash and litter at Kirby Lake Park

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Keep Abilene Beautiful, the West Texas Science Center, and Vista Planning & Design came together to host a Community Cleanup Champions event at Kirby Lake Park.

Volunteers gathered to remove trash and litter throughout the park. Several participants spoke with KTAB/KRBC about their experience and the importance of taking care of local outdoor spaces.

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Lois Dalton, who lives near Kirby Lake, shared her perspective on the event.

“I think it’s a fun way of making a difference, and there’s a lot of trash to be picked up. So, we need to keep our environment clean,” Dalton said.

She added that she saw a range of litter during the cleanup, including fried chicken bags, papers, cans, and other debris.

Stephen Cook, Dean of the Cynthia Ann Parker College of Liberal Arts, also participated and reflected on the effort.

“It’s been great helping out, helping out. There have been several good-sized crowds of people here, and it’s just nice to join and do our little bit to help make this area look a little bit better and be better for people who want to visit and spend their time here,” Cook said.

As part of the event, Keep Abilene Beautiful presented a $15,000 check to the West Texas Science Center. The funds will support the Lake Kirby Park Arboretum Funding Appeal, which includes plans to plant trees that change color in the fall and to build two six-foot-wide trails — one weaving through the trees and the other crossing an unmaintained area of the park.