THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, April 20, 1995               TAG: 9504180129
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS          PAGE: 05   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   34 lines

BAG-A-THON IS PICKING UP AS NORFOLK TRASH STARTS TO DISAPPEAR

If things are looking a little cleaner in Norfolk, there's a reason: massive spring cleaning.

Started April 1 in Norfolk and April 8 in Newport News, the 10th annual Glad Bag-A-Thon enlists thousands of volunteers for a large-scale cleanup of the two cities. Equipped with garbage bags and other tools, participants in Norfolk are tidying up such sites as Campostella Creek, Ocean View and Lamberts Point.

``We can tell things are going well,'' said John Deuel, executive coordinator of the Norfolk Environmental Commission, which helps sponsor the program. ``We already have 9,000 registered volunteers.''

Last year, 8,000 Norfolk volunteers picked up more than 33 tons of litter and recyclables, Deuel said. A majority of the participants come from civic leagues and schools. Pupils from several Norfolk middle schools are competing for cash prizes in a recycling contest.

The Bag-A-Thon is sponsored by the Norfolk Environmental Commission, the Newport News Reycling & Clean Community Commission, First Brands Corp. (the manufacturer of Glad products) and Keep America Beautiful Inc., a national, non-profit organization. The program is conducted in approximately 100 U.S. cities during the spring. It is the nation's largest organized cleanup and recycling project, Deuel said.

The Norfolk program runs until May 6. Call 441-1486 for more information. by CNB