After Mother Nature threw some resistance in the way of volunteers, one organization is finally gearing up to open up the new year.

Ed Jordan, founder of Carter County Proud, recently announced the organization will host their first cleanup of Milligan Highway on Saturday, April 7. The event is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. with volunteers being asked to meet at the Happy Valley Elementary School parking lot.

Inclement weather proved to be a tough task to hurdle during the last weekend in March — when the event was originally scheduled to begin.

Now with some nicer weather on the horizon, the organization is ready to tackle a bevy of projects.

“We’re expecting a busy year,” Jordan recently told the Elizabethton Star. “We’re starting off our projects with the quarterly cleanup. We’re encouraging anybody that wants to help with the project to stop by. We’ll have bags provided. It’s a great opportunity for the public to come out and help beautify the community.”

Milligan Highway is the organization’s adopted highway, sponsored by a program offered through the Tennessee Department of Transportation. During the last cleanup of 2017, CCP was able to enlist the efforts of Milligan College. The school has been an active supporter of CCP with students lending a helping hand to a variety of projects.

Cleaning items will be provided to the volunteers but Jordan did ask volunteers to dress accordingly for the event.

Even though focus is currently set for the weekend endeavor, the founder added the group will have some projects on the horizon.

CCP will be lending a helping hand once again for the third annual Earth Day Cleanup, scheduled to take place April 21 at Covered Bridge Park. Like last year, Jordan added the group will be cleaning up the Elizabethton side of the Tweetsie Trail to help raise awareness for litter and recycling. Another project in April, according to Jordan, is the group’s partnership with Elizabethton Parks and Recreation to plant different types of shrubbery at a portion of the Tweetsie Trail near Mary Patton Highway.

For further updates from the group, follow the Carter County Proud Facebook page.