DOBSON — Volunteers from Surry County are expected to take part in a statewide “Big Sweep” effort Saturday, focusing on a Mount Airy roadway soon to be named for singer Donna Fargo.

The goal of the annual event is to clean up land and waterways in all 100 counties of the state. It originated in 1987 as a beach cleanup effort and the success of the first sweep led to it spreading inland.

In Surry County, Big Sweep activities target litter on highways which hampers tourism and new business recruitment along with posing health hazards to humans and wildlife. In 2008, the campaign resulted in 32 bags of trash weighing an estimated 700 pounds being collected from 9.5 miles of roadways.

The fall cleanup is coordinated locally through the Surry County Planning Department, which is asking that volunteers around the county lend their support to Saturday’s campaign.

Doug Hall, a local ordinance officer with the department, said that one area of concentration this year is N.C. 103 east of Mount Airy, also known as East Pine Street. That section has special significance because it officially will be named Donna Fargo Highway on Oct. 29. The Grammy Award-winning singer lived along that route as a child before she achieved stardom with No. 1 hits in the 1970s.

The Mount Airy Appearance Commission thinks it would be appropriate to clean up that roadway in anticipation of Fargo’s upcoming honor.

“I think that’s what the Appearance Commission suggested, but there’s a lot of highways that need work on them,” Hall said.

Ten types of litter account for 85 percent of that found during Big Sweep cleanups: cigarettes, food wrappers and containers, plastic beverage bottles, bags, beverage cans, glass beverage bottles, caps and lids, plates and eating utensils, straws and stirrers and building materials.

Participating volunteers are advised to wear appropriate clothing, including work gloves or rubber gloves, and to not handle materials such as medical waste, pesticides or other dangerous items.

Hall said that in the case of larger items encountered on roadsides, such as couches or appliances, participants can contact the N.C. Department of Transportation to have them removed.

Volunteers also are asked to collect information about the kind of debris collected.

Hall said that members of scout, school or church groups; civic organizations; garden clubs; or other groups or individuals wishing to participate can sign up to do so on the Big Sweep Web site at www.ncbigsweep.org. Those interested also can call 1-800-27-sweep to obtain more information on how to get involved.

John Barber is the county coordinator for Surry, who can be reached at 401-8357.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.