Jack Burrell, left, spreads pine straw onto the median along Mission 66 Saturday. (The Vicksburg Post/PAT SHANNAHAN)

[02/19/01] About 13 volunteers braved chilly temperatures Saturday morning to spruce up a major city thoroughfare.

Holley Simrall, executive coordinator of Keep Vicksburg Warren Beautiful, was one of the people who climbed out of bed bright and early to participate in KVWB Clean Up Day on Mission 66.

“I think this shows that people have pride in the city and it is an example for other people to follow,” Simrall said.

The volunteers got started with their project at Toot’s Grocery on Confederate Avenue and worked down to the Chamber of Commerce building on Mission 66.

One volunteer, Jim Stirgus, said he enjoys helping out.

“I think when things look nice and are clean it makes you feel good,” Stirgus said.

With a brisk wind making the temperature feel like it was 20 degrees outside, Stirgus and the others got cranked up at 8 a.m. and worked until about 10 a.m. placing pine straw on Mission 66 medians.

Simrall said about 100 bales of pine straw were donated by the City of Vicksburg and 50 more were donated by AmSouth Bank.

“I think projects like this make the community respect an area and maybe they will help to keep it clean,” Simrall said.

KVWB hopes to follow up at least once a month on the work they did Saturday morning.

“When tourists come in to our town and see it looking dirty they may not think about even coming back, so this is important to us,” Simrall said.