ROCKPORT — The ditches along Rockport’s roads can be gross. Walk along Main, Park, Meadow, South..., the streets are lined with blue Bud Light cans, miniature booze bottles, pizza boxes. Someone threw out a large cooler with rotten meat last summer. Someone else tossed a toilet. Another person dropped an animal carcass riddled with bullet holes beside a driveway.

We like to think our roads are pristine and bucolic, but that’s not the case. They have become trash receptacles for drivers who want to toss their empties, or those who won’t make a trip to the dump, or even a dumpster.

But a growing group of residents, with Maggie Christie at the helm, is ready to hit the pavement Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30, for the third Keep Rockport Beautiful campaign.

You will see town employees and local business people, school children, parents, public works crews, and community members out poling the trash into bags, and collecting the empties for the five cent returns. That’s money in the pocket for many, because the empty PBR tall boys are plentiful, nestled down in the grass.

“Last year we did our first organized clean-ups in the spring and fall and collected 2,000 pounds of trash,” said Christie. “Each time, we had approximately 100 volunteers, including residents, members of organizations, and business owners.”

Christie got her campaign started last year, after watching the trash build up on the sides of the road where she lives. At first, she’d pick it up, and her children would retrieve the bottles and cans for a revenue stream. 

But as time went by, the problem seemed to grow, and others in town began to see it, too. A growing trend of trashing one’s own home territory — the Midcoast — is turning into a regular practice. 

And it’s not just trash and bottles. There are empty pill wrappers and syringes, indicative of a society plagued by drugs. 

“I used to be one of the people that waited for the town to come clean the roads,” said Christie. “The town of Rockport does not have the resources to clean the roads and it’s not part of their defined responsibilities to clean the roads.  The town office and public works have been great in providing support but in the end it’s up to the residents to clean the roads.  We need to change the mindset.  It’s OUR community.”

Christie characterizes littering is a silent epidemic, and the “the proliferation of single use containers — a plastic grocery bag, Styrofoam coffee cup, plastic utensils — all makes their way to the roadside.”

She is also concerned about all the trash descending into lakes, ponds, streams and ocean.

“Route 17 is a perfect example of tons of trash flying into Chickawaukie,” she said. “We attempted to clean part of this road last year but it’s way too much of an undertaking and we wouldn’t be able to clean any other roads. The Maine Department of Transportation has communicated to Public Works Director Mike Young that they will get to Route 17 this year but they don’t know when.  It’s kind of scary to think that Mirror Lake, which is our drinking supply, is also subject to the same type of pollution as Chickawaukie.”

It’s not drudgery, though. The camaraderie of working together to pick up disgusting refuse builds as the day goes along. And, there is also the voyage of discovery the road cleaners take when they are walking different roads. They find little habitats and secret glens, private homes for wildlife, and small water pools and streams.

Take the walk yourself, and join the clean-up crews. The effort might expand to cleaning the parks. Last year, Christie and Diane Castle tried to clean all of Kramer Park, but found a dump down the side of it that borders the Goose River.

Folks with young children that want to help out with the clean up but don’t feel comfortable taking them out on the road can help clean Marine Park on Saturday, April 30, at 8 a.m.

Others can sign up at the Keep Rockport Beautiful Facebook page or call Christie, 230-4563.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657