Darlene D. Dolzani, Orwigsburg, opened the February meeting of Schuylkill Keep It Pretty Board of Directors at Union Station on Thursday with a burst of enthusiasm.
“I thought we’d use this as a basis of a poster,” she said as she held up an illustration showing an owl clawing at strewn food containers and cigarette butts. It was drawn by her daughter, Tara.
“It’s an owl cleaning its nest,” she said.
The owl stands for “Out With Litter,” she said.
“I’d like her to add a few bumblebees in the air. And I’d like it to say ‘The birds do it. The bees do it. Why can’t we do it? Let’s clean up Schuylkill County! Let’s clean up our nest!’ ” Dolzani, the organization’s new executive director, said.
Dolzani, 71, is the organization’s new executive director and has been involved with SKIP, the county’s nonprofit, anti-litter and recycling program, since it was organized in 1986.
“At the time, I was president and CEO of the Schuylkill Savings and Loan Association, and the commissioners picked community leaders to be part of SKIP. We had our initial meetings down where the old chamber building used to be. There were so many people, you couldn’t seat them all. All the local business people were involved,” she said.
Over the years, she’s held positions with its board of directors, including vice president and president.
“You’ve done a fantastic job, Darlene, and it’s kept us motivated,” Darlene J. Robbins, president of the Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Council, Pottsville, said at the meeting.
“I think she’s an excellent candidate for the post. She’s highly intelligent and has some good ideas for promoting the program,” Joseph Scribbick, county solid waste and recycling coordinator, said after the meeting.
Her most high-profile initiative this year will be extending the annual spring cleanup from one day to four.
“We really need to have everybody involved. That’s why I want to go to four days. We need to give the initiative a good push, then it will continue,” Dolzani said.
This year’s SKIP cleanup will be April 21-24.
She’s planning to hold the annual fall cleanup in August.
“They used to always have it at the end of September. But at the end of September, all the leaves are on the ground and you can’t see the garbage anymore. So what’s the sense of going out trying to pick it up when you’re rooting through leaves trying to find it. It’s not conducive to a quick and easy cleanup. The more difficult you make it, the less volunteers you’re going to have. Common sense tells you that,” she said.
Dolzani said she’s been making phone calls in an effort to get municipalities and organizations involved.
“I know M&T Bank had called. They’re on board. And Sapa is on board,” Dolzani said, referring to Sapa Industrial Extrusions in Cressona.
“And Deer Lake is going to do the jug handle around the new Auburn turnaround. I heard that area is atrocious already. It’s called jug handle disease. It’s where everybody just throws their litter because they slowed down enough to do it,” Dolzani said
After a SKIP cleanup, the state Department of Transportation will pick up litter bagged as part of a SKIP program if the area is near a state highway.
People who want more information or supplies can contact Dolzani at 570-449-4760.
“PennDOT is on board to pick up the bags on April 25. It has to be put along a state highway or PennDOT won’t pick it up,” she said.
SKIP is a cooperative effort between the SKIP Board of Directors, the Schuylkill County Board of Commissioners, the Schuylkill County Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator’s Office and the people of Schuylkill County, according to the organization’s website at www.skiplitter.com.
Dolzani was not sure how many executive directors SKIP had over the years.
Previous directors include Merrilee Levin, Patricia L. Bayliff, Melissa G. Mahall, Louise M. Huegel and Robert J. Stablum, according to The Republican-Herald archives. A complete list could not be assembled this week.
Stablum resigned in late 2015 for personal reasons, according to Dolzani. In early December the board appointed Dolzani as director.
“I started January 1. My first week in, I put in 47 hours,” Dolzani said.
The position is part time and Dolzani will be paid $12,000 for 2016. The operation is financed by the county and by fundraisers.
Its office is at 91 S. Progress Ave., Pottsville.