I was born on Earth Day in Vine Grove, Kentucky, so maybe it’s no surprise that the earth has always had a special place in my heart.
In March of 2023, I decided to do an Earth Day challenge, clean up 500 grocery bags of trash before Earth Day and post about it on social media. That challenge changed everything. People began to notice, to join me, to feel the joy in giving back. What started as a personal challenge turned into Cleaner Kentucky, a movement built on love and service.
Kentucky is full of some of the most amazing, kindhearted people you’ll ever meet. Through this journey, I’ve met so many who want to help, who care deeply about the beauty of our home. Sometimes when I visit a site, it’s covered in litter, but after we work together to restore it, the transformation is powerful—not just in the landscape, but in the people. Young folks who once hung out and left trash behind now stop and say, “You’re right—this place is too beautiful to ruin.” That’s how change happens.
Since March 2023, with more than 8,200 volunteers, we’ve picked up over one million bags of trash. Our next goal is two million by the end of 2026—and I know we’ll get there, one loving act at a time.
This mission has changed every part of my life. I used to be an insurance agent in heels and fancy clothes; now I live in muck boots. I bring my two kids—ages five and seventeen—along whenever I can. As a single mom, I want them to see what love in action looks like. I want them to experience the joy that service to others brings your heart.
A few years ago, I was sick with an immune disorder, even going through chemo that didn’t work. But since I started doing this, my health has improved. The earth has healed me, too. Every day I clean, I see the good in people. I smile, I give, and I love. Because that's what this movement is about... We do this not out of anger or indignation, but out of love for this land and a service to Mother Nature and the generations to come.
In March of 2023, I decided to do an Earth Day challenge, clean up 500 grocery bags of trash before Earth Day and post about it on social media. That challenge changed everything. People began to notice, to join me, to feel the joy in giving back. What started as a personal challenge turned into Cleaner Kentucky, a movement built on love and service.
Kentucky is full of some of the most amazing, kindhearted people you’ll ever meet. Through this journey, I’ve met so many who want to help, who care deeply about the beauty of our home. Sometimes when I visit a site, it’s covered in litter, but after we work together to restore it, the transformation is powerful—not just in the landscape, but in the people. Young folks who once hung out and left trash behind now stop and say, “You’re right—this place is too beautiful to ruin.” That’s how change happens.
Since March 2023, with more than 8,200 volunteers, we’ve picked up over one million bags of trash. Our next goal is two million by the end of 2026—and I know we’ll get there, one loving act at a time.
This mission has changed every part of my life. I used to be an insurance agent in heels and fancy clothes; now I live in muck boots. I bring my two kids—ages five and seventeen—along whenever I can. As a single mom, I want them to see what love in action looks like. I want them to experience the joy that service to others brings your heart.
A few years ago, I was sick with an immune disorder, even going through chemo that didn’t work. But since I started doing this, my health has improved. The earth has healed me, too. Every day I clean, I see the good in people. I smile, I give, and I love. Because that's what this movement is about... We do this not out of anger or indignation, but out of love for this land and a service to Mother Nature and the generations to come.
