NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One man got well over 40 bags of trash for his birthday, but he says it's exactly what he asked for. LeLann Evans isn't asking for gifts this birthday, instead he's doing the giving.
"I wanted to use my birthday to mean more than just a celebration for myself, but getting the community to come together to do something good for everybody," Evans said.
He noticed the trash and litter building up in his community on the streets and on the sidewalks of Antioch and Evans said he wanted to do something about it.
"It's not a Green Hills, it's not a Bellevue, it's not a Belle Meade, but Antioch is where I grew up, so it's personal to me," said Evans.
So, he took his concerns to his council member and in return came up with the perfect way to celebrate.
"I'm shocked, happy, excited to that it's not just a one-person thing; my whole community truly understands that we all need to cleanup so that our community looks better," Evans said.
Evans believes more than 30 people showed up to help including one teacher and her eighth-grade class.
"There's no learning like hands on learning," said Karissa Hampton.
Hampton said Evans spoke to her class this week at Thurgood Marshall and what better way to learn when the lesson takes you outside the classroom.
"I doubt they would throw something out of the window after being out here cleaning up trash for an hour or two" said Hampton.
Evans says that's the point, to make Nashville a better city one community at a time.
"Do it; whatever it is do it. If it's two people, if it's one person at the end of day it's about the purpose and the purpose for this was to clean up," Evans said he doesn't know what his plans are for next year, he's just enjoying today.
