RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Ana Vergne is on a mission in Riviera Beach, picking up trash in her neighborhood with the help of her 4-year-old dog Spotter.
"I came to this city and recognized the need for trash pick up. I started to take ownership of it," she said.
She started on her own street a year and half ago. The Facebook page Community Trash Warriors was started.
Now it's grown to more than 200 "trash warriors".
"We go everywhere, our focus is if you see trash, pick it up. No matter where you see it, you pick up it. Because if we all do that, we change our environment and the world," she said.
Her city noticed her hard work.
"Ana is a very persistent woman, she has a heart for our community. And when she started trash warriors, she reached out to all of us and shared what she wanted to do. One week I said 'Let's go clean up Blue Heron,'" said Riviera Beach Mayor Ronnie Felder. "It's important for our kids to understand that a clean environment is everything. It's not where you are from but how you take care where you are from that makes it a better community. So, what she started we can build off it and I salute her for taking that stance to make Riviera Beach a cleaner place."
Ana said support from various areas of the community help, especially when supplies are needed for the clean up. "We have sponsors that are wonderful. Solid Waste Authority and Waste Management have been instrumental in us becoming successful by providing us with supplies. I am hoping more people get involved and that more people will come to our site and join us in our efforts, that more people will focus on saving our oceans and wildlife," Vergne said.
She said it's about adopting a street, not just in her city, "We all lead by example. Leaders join us in our efforts because you make a difference in our communities too."