North Idaho is, unquestionably, home to some of the most beautiful places on the map. We are lucky enough to have it all – an incredible ski resort in winter, the magnificent Lake Pend Oreille in the warmer months, hiking, biking, horseback riding, mountain lakes, amazing fishing, boating, water skiing…I could go on, but I know you get the idea. With the privilege of living amidst this incredible, abundant beauty, is the responsibility of taking care of it. Because this is something that we take very seriously here at Mill Town, we decided to become a part of the Adopt-a-Highway program, run by the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). Twice a year we clean up the highway near the distillery from milepost 22 to milepost 24. A two mile stretch in the middle of our little slice of heaven.
I won’t lie, it’s a chore. I can’t begin to relay the level of disgustingness reached in picking up other people’s garbage. There were many things that I still just can’t figure out how in the hell they ever ended up on the side of the road. Things that just can’t be unseen. But we gut our way through it, laugh and grimace and shudder our way through it. And in the end, we are all smiling and we have a lovely, clean stretch of highway that gives a little peek at the natural beauty that surrounds us. We work with good friends, laugh (a lot!), enjoy the sun and scenery and compete for the title of most disturbing find. There really are worse ways to spend a few hours on a sunny Saturday. We leave a cleaner space, prettier roads, and gain a deeper appreciation for the wonderful people who keep their garbage IN their cars!
If you are interested in becoming part of the Mill Town Clean-up Crew, contact me at Jessie@MillTownDistillery.com or give me a call at 208.597.1459.
You can find more information on adopting your own stretch of highway, here, at the official ITD website or reach out to the wonderful Robin Karsann at the Coeur d’Alene office.
Robin.Karsann@itd.idaho.gov
208-772-8011
600 W. Prairie Ave
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815-8764
Robin can also give you information about the Wildflower program. This last fall we spread wildflower seeds in the right-of-ways and are looking forward to the bloom in a few weeks. The results of a few hours of work, laughing with friends, and spreading a bit of beauty, are cleaner roadways, prettier views, and a healthier planet!
