By Cody Hawes, Correspondent
Image Credit: Jason Marsan
Embry-Riddle’s Aeronautical University’s Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a professional, honorary organization dedicated to serving its local community. On Nov. 19, 2022, these Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC) detachment 028 members devoted part of their day to cleaning up a mile stretch of Arizona Highway 89.
A few miles north of Prescott Airport, AAS members filled over 20 bags of litter on the side of the highway in just two hours.
“We have like an entire box of blue trash bags and we’re almost empty. But right now, we’re only like half a mile in,” said Squadron Vice Commander Veronica Knott just a few hours into the effort.
The importance of efforts like highway cleanups frequently go unnoticed, but these endeavors are crucial to preserving the Prescott community.
“We want that part of the highway to look good and show that, like, our society cares about, you know, this part of the environment and of the highway,” Knott told Horizons.
With even more litter left to collect, the squadron plans to return to Highway 89 in the future.
Aside from picking up litter, AAS serves the Prescott community through many other opportunities. Recently the organization assisted with Embry-Riddle’s annual Open House event for prospective students and the local canned food drive.
“[W]e take every opportunity we can to give back to the community,” said AAS Director of Operations Angel Appelzoller, “I’m just really glad that we can partake in that move to go forward and go green and just basically help keep our communities clean.”
