CULLMAN, Ala. – The winners may not have been able to receive their awards in Montgomery as in past non-pandemic years, but that didn’t stop them from being celebrated Thursday when Cullman County PALS (People Against a Littered State) brought them together to present them with their Alabama PALS 2020 Governor’s Awards and Clean Campus Awards.
Presenting the Clean Campus Awards to both East Elementary School and Hanceville Elementary School, Cullman County PALS Chairperson Cherrie Haney said, “This is awesome. Having two Clean Campus winners is just amazing. We have done it one other time, but we never had a first place and a third place.”
East took third place, receiving a plaque and $500. First place was awarded to Hanceville, which received a plaque and $1,000 that will be used in its outdoor classroom.
The 2020 Governor’s Award for Law Enforcement went to Sheriff Matt Gentry and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office.
“He has won every year since he’s been elected,” beamed Haney.
In 2020, the CCSO picked up 56,395 pounds of trash along 154.4 miles of roadway. It also collected 3,080 pounds of scrap metal and cans it sold for $748.04. All the money was given to Cullman Caring For Kids.
Said Gentry, “(Deputy) Ron (Wood) does a great job.” Wood manages the CCSO’s litter crew.
The City of Cullman Sanitation Department was presented with the 2020 Governor’s Outstanding City Award. Superintendent Sam Dillender accepted the award for the department.
Haney said, “The City, they do an outstanding job of keeping the city clean and they help us some on the county roads, too. They are instrumental.”
The City and County provide the Dumpsters used each year during the PALS Spring Cleanup event, which was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19. City of Cullman Sanitation held its Spring Cleanup last April.
Reported Dillender, “We did about 2,000 tons last year, with 1,500 man hours in the week of the cleanup.”
For at least the 15th year in a row, Cullman County PALS won the Governor’s Outstanding County Award for overall excellence.
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