By Jim Utter
Director of Journalism
Over the past 25 years, team members from Charlotte, N.C.-based Autobell Car Wash have donned rubber boots and grabbed trash pickers to care for the company’s adopted portion of the city’s Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
The Autobell ‘Creek Walk’ cleanup effort began in 2000 as part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities “Adopt-A-Stream” program, in conjunction with Mecklenburg County’s launch of a major stream restoration project for this waterway.
Late last month, 27 Autobell team members from 10 of the company’s local stores as well as the home office spent nearly two hours scouring the waterway between East Boulevard and Morehead Street.
They collected trash and debris from the creek bed and banks. Beverages and lunch were provided to the team members by the company.
The undertaking collected a whopping 450 pounds of trash, with notable finds including a metal shopping cart, oxygen canister, fire extinguisher, large vanity mirror, metal chair, and traffic safety cone.
“This section of the greenway was closed for more than three years while the county improved the walking path and pedestrian bridges, so the creek was in great need of a cleanup,” stated Autobell CEO and owner Chuck Howard, who joined the effort.
“It’s still a thrill and honor to see our folks come together for the chance to serve the community, and we relish helping make the greenway safe and pleasant for wildlife, people, and pets.”
The Autobell Creek Walk is one representation of the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental preservation.
All Autobell locations treat 100 percent of wash water used and recycle up to 100 percent using innovative, environmentally friendly systems, while practicing other on-site water conservation procedures.
Founded in 1969 by the late Charles Howard Sr., Autobell is privately held and operated by subsequent generations of the Howard family.
The conveyorized car wash features a range of exterior and interior cleaning and finishing services and operates 91 locations in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, with consistent expansion.
