Randy Malone and his wife are avid outdoors people. He said it is not unusual to find them out walking a trail up to six days a week if the weather is nice. Most days, they walk the Richard Martin Trail, which runs 10.2 miles from Piney Chapel to the Tennessee state line.

Malone said he and his wife have been watching certain areas of the trail grow worse and worse over the last year when it comes to litter.

“I thought, ‘What are you going to do? Are you going to complain about it, or do something about it?’” he said.

The original idea was for the Malones and some of their “trail buddies” to take on a few spots here and there, but the decision was made to ask the county for help. Malone said he called Limestone County District 4 Commissioner LaDon Townsend, who in turn got him in touch with Leigh Patterson at Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, whose mission is to help clean up trash around the county.

Patterson helped Malone put together an event to ask for volunteers to help clean up the trail. The Richard Martin Trail, or Rails-to-Trail, cleanup will be 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 17.

Volunteers will meet at the Piney Chapel Road trailhead, where they will sign in, receive supplies and go from there. Malone said the worst areas are where the trail intersects roads like Hays Mill, Huber and Piney Chapel.

“We are going to attack those areas first,” he said. “Then, we will divide up the trail into shorter sections. The trail proper isn’t terrible, and the section in Elkmont is pretty much maintained.”

KALB will be providing trash bags, litter grabbers, gloves, buckets and safety vests. Volunteers are encouraged to wear waterproof shoes or boots and work clothes. Using insect repellant and sunscreen is also advised.

Malone said Townsend also got in touch with fellow commissioner Daryl Sammet, who represents District 1, where the trail is located. Sammet will be providing a trailer to haul off the collected trash and debris. The trailer will be located in the parking area at the trailhead.

Malone said he would like to get a handle on how many people would like to volunteer, so interested parties are asked to register by either emailing him at malonerandy@hotmail.com or by calling KALB at 256-233-8000.

“We would love to have anyone interested in helping take care of the trail to come out,” he said. “We hope to make the trail — and the world — a little better.”