I spent a couple of hours with the folks cleaning up Rogers Road Saturday (and have the bug bites to prove it). It was a rare collaboration between the county and the historically black community which has long had to deal with the odor, vermin and water and septic problems it blames on living next to the county dump.

More than 70 volunteers turned out. They fanned out through the woods targeting more than 30 illegal dump sites. How successful were they? Very, says solid waste educator Muriel Williman.

Total trash collected (to be landilled): 2,440 lbs, just over 1 ton.

Total material diverted: (to be recycled): 3,860, just under 2 tons.

Recycling rate: 61 percent.

That's impressive, Williman says. Even more so was the spirit of the volunteers,  "I'm having fun," said 13-year-old Deja Covington of Mebane (above), deer stepping through the briars with her mom and two sisters.  "We don't usually help out like this. It feels good to pay back to the community."

Now, if I could just get the welts on my legs to stop itching ...

Look for more on the Rogers Road area cleanup in Wednesday's Chapel Hill News.