Groups, organizations, companies and individuals turned out Saturday for the Countywide Cleanup Day. The event encompasses the entire county with schools, civic groups, businesses, townships and individuals taking part.

“We had over 40 groups participating,” said Dr. Kelly Raies. “We had people spread out all over the county and we had a beautiful day, so that was helpful.”

Raies said everyone that worked throughout the day said they had a great time and said Shawnee State University had 200 students and staff that helped.

“It’s a great feeling to see the amount of community involvement we have from our residence in Scioto County,” she said. “You can see the difference — the streets look great.”

Besides Portsmouth, Raies said groups cleaned up in Lucasville, Otway, West Side, New Boston, Sciotoville, Wheelersburg, Franklin Furnace and Minford.

“I think it was a very successful day. This is the first time we’ve undertaken a project on this scale,” she said and added her appreciation for the event sponsors: SOMC, Walmart of Ashland, Dave and JoEllen Mays, Michael and Kelly Raies, Glockner’s, Applebee’s of New Boston, The Shirt Shop, A Special Touch, and the original sponsoring unit, the Lawrence Scioto Solid Waste Management District.

Notre Dame High School’s Key Club, a service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, was one of the groups cleaning up in the area around the school and the LIFE Center. Rosa Storey, president of the club, said the group was happy to have an opportunity to clean up the area. In addition to the club, the football team and the National Honor Society also helped.

Raies said the following groups participated in the event:

• Shawnee State University

• Portsmouth High School Key Club

• Notre Dame Key Club Joellen

• Workforce Connection

• Second Presbyterian Church

• Portsmouth Little Theater

• St. Mary’s Church Youth Group

• RSVP

• Notre Dame National Honor Society

• Counseling Center Promises Team

• Notre Dame Football Team

• Margaret Mohr and Friends

• Western Hills Subdivision

• Our Lady of Lourdes Church

• Living With a Cause

• Boosters of Notre Dame

• Main Street Portsmouth

• Shawnee Nature Club

• Nauvoo United Methodist Church

• Clay High School

• Lucasville Kiwanis

• Seventh Day Adventist Youth Group

• Portsmouth - Scioto Visitors Bureau

• Star Community Justice Center

• Applebee’s

• Portsmouth City Health Department

• Portsmouth City Service Department

• Shawnee State Environmental Club

• Scioto County Juvenile Court Work Option Program

• SOMC

• Minford High School Environmental Science Club

• HillsDale WeedWackers

• The Mays Family

• The Randaisi Family

• John Major and Kim Umhoefer

• The Notre Dame Daisy Girl Scout

• West High School

• Cradle Pregnancy Care Center

• Debbie and Wayne Jewett

• The Village of New Boston

• WalMart

• Genesis

• Daymar College

• Interim Health Care

• Wheelersburg Key Club

• Wheelersburg Honor Society

• Sleepover Clean up Crew

DEBORAH DANIELS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 234.