NEWPORT NEWS, Va. –
Clad in bright yellow safety jackets, the Soldiers meticulously worked their way along each side the busy roadway, plucking litter from the grass and discarding it into trash bags while motorists whizzed by unassumingly.
For three miles, 25 volunteers from the 689th Rapid Port Opening Element, 597th Transportation Brigade scoured Warwick Boulevard in Newport News, Va., April 19, cleaning an area they adopted as part of the city's "Adopt-a-Spot" program in an effort to beautify the community surrounding Fort Eustis.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Brian Kavanagh, the unit's clearance platoon leader, organized the clean-up event to give his Soldiers an opportunity to support the local community. He said the unit participates in volunteer activities at least twice each quarter, and wanted to continue their altruistic trends outside the gate.
After researching similar "Adopt-a-Highway" programs, Kavanagh discovered the Newport News program, and thought it was a perfect fit considering its proximity to Fort Eustis and emphasis on waste removal and recycling, two initiatives the installation focuses on.
"We wanted to do a better job of recycling, as that brings money back to Fort Eustis, as well as reduce solid waste production," he said. "This was our way of expanding our reach into the community."
Pfc. Jacqueline Enchautegui, an information technology specialist, took full advantage of the opportunity to work alongside fellow Soldiers in making a difference.
"I enjoy doing things like this, especially in groups because you can see the collective effort put into it," Enchautegui said. "I used to run at Newport News Park all the time and would see trash on the side of the roads. It's a place people enjoy, and I want to be able to do something to fix that. This was my way of making change."
The lieutenant said the Adopt-a-Spot project is only one of several community volunteer projects the unit will complete. The 689th RPOE plans to assist the Newport News Public Schools special education program host their field day later this month, and routinely visits local elementary and middle schools for field and career days.
"As a whole, the citizens of the U.S. see the military in a positive light, and I think that's because of what we do in the community. We're more than Soldiers heading off to war," Kavanagh said. "We have to live up to Army values, and to encourage our Soldiers to live up to that standard, we have to provide those opportunities to go above and beyond."