by Jason Cooper
Staff Writer
Responsibility to the earth they live on and a sense of pride in the community they live and go to school in has prompted the women of the University of La Verne chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority to participate in the Adopt-A-Highway program.
The sorority started to actively clean the area around the off-ramp of Fairplex Avenue off the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in Pomona.
Senior Liz Rodarte helped institute the program during the summer of this year, and it has become the sorority’s main philanthropy.
Philanthropy is an essential part of Greek life, as activities range from fundraising for charities to help clean up the surrounding communities.
“Our goal is to make a difference and clean up where we live,” said Sigma Kappa Philanthropy Chair Mabel Martinez.
Once a month the women head to the off-ramp with bright orange vests and helmets. The equipment is provided by the California Highway Patrol, who began the Adopt-A-Highway program in the late 1980s as a means to battle the growing pollution on California freeways.
“People see us on the side of the road and they think we are convicts,” said Martinez, “but we are actually helping a great cause.”
The act of cleaning in hard work and entails no less fun for the women than sweat.
“We have a great time. It is a lot of fun,” said Andee Gomez, a member of the sorority.
The women spend a few hours on the weekend and fill loads of trash bags full of litter and miscellaneous things left behind by California motorists.
Currently at La Verne, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity has also been an active participant in the program.
“We have helped them clean in the past and we knew that we could do it too,” said Martinez. “This shows that we are willing to give back to the community and it is very important to us.”
