October 27, 2025 • 25 mins
We're talking with the Executive Director of Memphis City Beautiful Charity Cole on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Show bell, jumping time with this talking and home away.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
However you go, you go, son't.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Getting ready in time to say show bell show, Let's
go bell just then we you'll make your ody right here?
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Wrong?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
D I.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Listen to want to say, you know, it's tip of
the bell to show, tap.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Of the belt of show like let's go.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Good afternoon, and welcome back to the BEV Johnson Show.
It's Monday, October twenty seventh, twenty twenty five. We're rocking
and rolling. As I said earlier this morning in the
house for the first time. I'm glad to see this
young woman.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I like this. She is Miss Charity Cole.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
She is the executive director of Memphis City Beautiful. And
I want to say good afternoon to you, Miss Charity Cole.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Good afternoon, I'm doing great today.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
I'm doing well. I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the BEV Johnson Show in WDIA.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, before before I get to talk to Miss Charity Cole,
let me give it.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
I want to do this. I'm meant to do it earlier.
Big shout out to Brother Roosevelt Mohammed in Minnesota. Oh
my lord, y'all, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Been years, years, years, years years, brother brother Roosevelt reached
out to me. I'm go like, what hadn't heard from him?
But what's our brother Roosevelt? Miss Missie Hey, good to
hear from you, and thank you, thank you for listening.
At all times I called mister Rosevelt. He was my
pyt yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Back in the day, back in the day.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah, he would hang around with Brother Shah Heed and
all those fellows. So, Hi, Brother Roosevelt in Minnesota. So
miss Cherity Cold, thank you for letting me do that.
I appreciate it, and I want you to tell our
listeners a little bit about charity.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Cole.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Are you a Memphim Yes, I was born and raised
here in Memphis. I came back to Memphis after college.
I went to NTSU, and I just really began my
career with the City of Memphis. For a couple of years.
I have been working in public works, which is now
community Enhancement. I had my time at the Council's office
for a couple of years, and I am back here.
(03:01):
I'm doing basically working over Memfi city beautiful with community enhancement.
So it's really been a full circle journey.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Oh wonderful, and Cherry, I'm so glad you told me that.
So they changed the name.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
It's not public works, so it is public works.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
It's public works still, but the neighborhood improvement part of
what was public works is now considered community in hands.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Oh good, good, good good.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
So now you are the executive director of Memphis City Beautiful, yes, ma'am,
So tell our listeners who might not. I was sharing
y'all with Cheerity. She's gonna tell you about Memphis City Beautiful.
But years ago I was sharing with her that I
used to be one of the board members on the
(03:47):
board of directors of Memphis City Beautiful, and I didn't
know Cherity did that you all were still operating, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
We are still operating Memphis City Beautiful. We're focused on
beautiful vacation efforts within the city. When it comes down
to plantings, educational programs, and even just cleanliness recycling. We
specialize in that it's really a boots on the ground
effort when it comes down to just beautifying and making
Memphis look better.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Sister, we need to do better, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
If we want to make Memphis look better, because we
talk about that all the time on the show Charity,
about how Memphis looks now and and what it looked
twenty and twenty five years ago.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Memphis.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Memphis is a beautiful city, but now it's gotten to
the point.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Where it's not so beautiful, right.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And so that's what you all. You all are trying
to make it beautiful again.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yes, ma'am, I'm excited about this role that I've recently
got in because I'm able to really pour into Memphis
and have that direct hand and beautification and bringing us
back to where we once. So I do think that
this is a journey that I'm on, but it's it's
something that I know that will be rewarding in the
end because I'm fully committed to, like just pouring myself into.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
That good good.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So when we talk about Memphis city beautiful, and you
mentioned some of the things that you all are doing,
and one of the things that struck me is when
you talked about the recycling. And I don't know, Charity,
if people in Memphis get the recycling because and you
(05:34):
tell me if I'm wrong, we get two garbage cans.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Ones for recycling and ones for the trash.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Right, right, But I don't think people are using that
recycling or I've seen some use it.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
For trash, which is not supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
But if we do the recycling, that's going to help
the city.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yes, ma'am. Absolutely, Solid Waste is really who housed that
recycling in the garbage in general. But we work with
Solid Waste when it comes down to pushing the messaging
with litter abatement and then also recycling, so it's really
a hand in hand type of effort.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So and another thing is one of the things that
bembas city beautiful.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And I don't know if you all did this. So
you mentioned bell about doing the flowers.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I know that big m that comes in when you
see it from the airport and the the m that's
on Parkway. So do you all do that or somebody
else is doing that in the city.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
We have our part in contributing to that as well, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So as as Memphis City beautiful, what do you want
our listeners to know?
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Well, I actually came on here to discuss our new
program that we're.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
That's good, that new program.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Yes, ma'am. We have really relaunched our Adopted Street program,
and we've really basically gone in to just allow people
to really cater the cleanups in this adoption process to them.
So Adopted Street allows for Memphians, individuals, organizations, businesses to
(07:19):
basically adopt their street. And with adopting the street, you're
committing to quarterly cleanups and you basically send in your
metrics to us to let us know about your cleanups.
And then but Memphis City Beautiful is requesting for everyone
to commit to seek or more cleanups.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Of your street. Okay, so I want to be cleared.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So you're asking our listeners now to adopt your street,
keep your street beautiful. Yes, ma'am, Lord Charity, It's gonna
be hard for me. And the reason I said that
because and I say this all the time because you know,
you haven't been on the show. But I always tell
(08:03):
my listeners every day when I go home, when I
leave work, I'm picking up paper in front of my house.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
People have thrown out bottles and you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Know it's just it's you know, it's frustrating, charity. So
how we when you have people continue to do then
they probably don't even live on the street.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Then you have to keep in front of your house.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, at least I try to keep in front of
my house in my yard clean. But I come out
in the morning, there's some bottles, there's some cans, there's
some food wrappers.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Charity is hard system, Yes, it is hard.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
But what I will say about this program is that
it pushes the sense of neighbor your neighbors, so you
really want to we want people to have cleanups that
joins everyone in Okay, so if the city beautiful, we
already have a tool bank and we already help when
it comes down to providing items for cleanups, which will
(09:03):
be your best grabbers and everything else gloves. So with
that being said, this program really you will be the
individual adopter or your organization, but when it comes down
to cleaning up, it's really a collective effort from everyone
in the neighborhood. Grab your go down, knock on doors,
(09:23):
ask them what they like to join in a cleanup
with you. That's really what we want to push because yeah,
I know that people are prideful and passionate when it
comes down to where they live. This program allows you
to let that pride bleed in to your work and
put that passion into action and so I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Okay, So.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Listeners, they're hearing you today, so they would need to
call the Memphis city beautiful.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So again, Timmy, how's works?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So you're going to tell the name of your street
or your neighborhood or how does that work?
Speaker 5 (09:58):
So we we have our website already kind of programs.
You can click adopted Street. It takes you to the
adopted Street page. What you do is click on our
interactive map to your street and you can really type
your street in and you can click that and put
your application in to adopt the street. Our team is
going to review it and then what we'll do is
(10:20):
reach back out to you to confirm the adoption, allow
you to have your introduction meeting, and then set a
time up for you to pick up your adopter's kit.
And so if that is something that if your Internet savvy,
of course, go on in and do that application. But
if you're having trouble with it, give us a call
(10:40):
at our office and we'll definitely be able to put
that in for you as well.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Okay, I got that, I got that.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
If you've just tuned in this afternoon, we are talking
with Miss Charity Cole She is the new executive director
of Memphis City Beautiful. They have a new program Adopted Street,
and we're talking about this day. If you have a
question or two four charity about Memphis City Beautiful and
(11:09):
what they're doing and how you can get involved, we
invite you to call right now nine zero one five
three five, nine three four two eight hundred five zero
three nine three four two eight three three five three
five nine three four two will get.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
You in to us.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You're listening to the Heart and Soul of Memphis w
d I A. It's the Queen of Talk, Your Girlfriend
and Mine, Bem Johnson on w d IA the Bedjo.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You're listening to the Bev Johnson Show. Here's Bev Johnson.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
And we're talking with the executive director of Memphis City
Beautiful Charity Cold Charity. I'm going to our phone lines
to talk to our listeners.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Hi, miss Brenda, Hey, bab how you doing.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
It's to your guest, how are you?
Speaker 5 (13:00):
How are you?
Speaker 6 (13:01):
I'm wonderful. Look, I'm just getting in. I didn't get
a chance to hear mostly everything, but it's that that's
all good of what you all have trying to do
here in the state of Memphis. But my course is
once you get a street, I wanted adopt the street
to get it done whel there be somebody to come
(13:22):
along and pick up the bags or trash, the broken
down furnish or whatever may be left alone the way.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Yes, ma'am, so, because I know vi've caused the three
one one number in the past a couple of months
and they were behind on someone to come in.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
That particular area to pick up the trash and with
the breeze or whatever's powered up, and so that would
be a big hemp if you don't have someone to
come along to help stuff of being left to the
side for more than fifteen or thirty days, which I
can't understand that when when I get my m L
(14:02):
g w B that's coming out of my UH pay
that I have to pay for trash pick up and
debris and stuff. But that I mean, it's not getting
done in a proper manner.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So but so again, yeah, Brenda, let let charity you
had you were going to respond, go on charity.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Yes, ma'am. So when it comes down to UH, particularly
with the adopted street program, we'll be running it like
we do all of our cleanups. When we have cleanups
on streets. We basically select a point where you would
lead that trash and that debris and we'll immediately have
someone from Community Enhancement to pick that up. That is
(14:45):
separate from basically the bulk trash pickup schedule with solid ways.
But still we're still part of the city of Memphis,
and I know that from our history. When it comes
down to those to those cleanups, we do ensure that
those things are picked up because we do not want
it to turn into just this blighted area or a
(15:06):
potential dumb site.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
Yes, ma'am, okay, well, thank you for answering it, because, uh,
I know it needs to be taken care of, and
it's a lot of streets. They're definitely easy. And I
applause you all for getting your team to stay together
to get this done. And I hope I can get
in and have time to adopt one this way.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
All right, Brenda, thank you, Brenda, You're welcome. Bye bye
w d I a unforgetful Yes.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
Missus Johns. I will just listening to your show and
I want to ask you, eye lady, whatever happened to
this scene that back in the past when they had
the city beautiful property. They'll be scattered all over news tapers,
all on TV and everything that had the most beautiful
property that kept it up in everything with landscape and
(15:56):
all that, And I wonder why can we go back
to that? And also when I grew up in the ages,
I saw all kind of stuff. I mean, we had
all kind of peach trees, fruits everywhere, strawberry, blueberry, peanuts, walnuts,
I'm free everything. Why can't they under So you.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Want to know if they have that beautify program their
property the whole home of the month and that used
to be. So let charity answer, Okay, charity, and why.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
Can't they start, uh giving these seeds and stuff for
people to grow stuff back?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Unforgetta forget. Let her answer the question if they have
those Okay, go on, charity. Okay.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
So when it comes down to the program that you
mentioned earlier, it was discontinued, but that is something that
I know that we can definitely get started. I'm gonna
work with my team so we can get that relaunched.
Especially if this it's something that you and other mempions
will be looking forward to to having. So of course
(17:06):
there's something that we can do. Another thing that regarding
the seats now, we do offer seats now regarding like
flowers and stuff like that, but we are working towards
really diving deeper into community gardens. We have plantings with
schools and we do assist in community gardens, but we
(17:28):
do want to push that because of course we love
for fruit and anything else that could be of an
assistance to communities as well. So thank you so much
for asking that question.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Thank you, unforgetful, good question.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Just before you go, what is that?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Okay, heard your days but.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Okay, I know, but it's new days now, thank you, unforgetful.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
W D I a hi caller, Hey bell again.
Speaker 6 (18:01):
I just want to ask the young lady. Do you
remember when we back in the day when we had
clean up, fixed up, paint up week, back in the
spring of the year.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I remember that Charity is young. This is a young
lady up in here.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
This is al.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
She's not our age and she don't remember clean up,
fix up, paint up, but I do.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
You don't remember nod of it. She's heard of it,
but she doesn't remember. She's young. She's a young, beautiful woman.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
Okay, okay, Well, it's been a nice thing we could
get that back on the road, especially during the spring,
because people were excited about it.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
You know, spring time brings out excitement and energy.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
And people, and people want to fix things up.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
So I think it was a good thing to promote
that clean up, fix up, paint up, yes, ma'am poor method.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Yes, ma'am, I'm glad that you brought that up. But
we are actually working on a spring cleaning type of
event as well, because we do want to push that,
especially in the spring. And I do agree with you
on this, So thank you so much for bringing it up.
Speaker 6 (19:12):
All right, thank you, Thank you, Beverly.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
And I think Beverly that miss Charity Cold.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
She's a young woman and she you know, these young people,
they have all these wonderful ideas and I can see
in her face, Charity, you got a lot of things
you want to do with Memphis City Beautiful.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Yes, ma'am, I do.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I know you do.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
So again, the program you're pushing now is the Doctor Street.
Tell our listeners how they can do that in about
the website, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
So you will go on our website Memphis City Beautiful
dot org and over on the program's bar at the
top you'll click adopt the street and there's a video
on the web page along with an interactive map where
you can put your application in. And then there's also
so the option of calling our office just so you
(20:04):
can get some more information and we'll we'll go on
ahead and put that application in for you and walk
you through everything as well.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
It is the website Memphis City Beautiful.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
Or memphisitieautiful dot org, mificity beautiful dot org.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Do you know the number by.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Hard The number is nine oh one six three six
four four one zero.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Four for one zero yes, And then they can call
the number if they can do the computer.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
You all will help them. We will, We'll help you.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
We'll put it in for you even if you wanted
to send us an email. We've had people send us
an email as well and just say hey, I want
to adopt this street. If and we'll go in and
put the application in for you as well, And you
can email us at city dot Beautiful, at Memphis TN dot.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Go o V see it well more time City.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
Dot Beautiful at me FIFTN dot gov.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Sounds good and again charity, because I know I'm I'll
ask you before you get out of here asked that question.
You said, and once people do that, you all have
the tools for them to work with. When you say
those kind of the tools, what are the tools?
Speaker 5 (21:19):
So we have a tool bank and in our ToolBank
we have litter grabbers, we have gloves, garbage bags, shovels, wheelbarrows,
we have a lot of different tools. And that's not
just for specifically adopted street. It's if you, as just
a community member, want to host the cleanup in your community,
(21:39):
go on our website. Are also under resources you can
basically reserve a spot to pick up tools. We have
special event boxes like litter boxes that you can also
rent from us as well. So we have a plethora
of items that you can come on in and just
rent from us, because we know that the effort of
(22:00):
cleaning up could be kind of expensive, especially with owning
those products. And if you have a lot of people,
just let us know and we can also provide you
best safety businesses.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Will so community organizations can get these tools and if
they're doing a cleanup, because I know a lot of
people do cleanups and stuff and so they don't have
all the tools.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
With the garbage bags, you didn't get them from you all.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yes, And then of course going back to the picking up,
if you are having a cleanup, just contact us and
let us know and we can specifically basically select a
spot where you be putting those trash bags and we'll
work with our team in community enhancement and have those
bags picked up.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
You've given us some great information Charity call. You've given
us a little hope for Memphis to become beautiful again.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Thank you. Any last words you'd like to say to
our listeners.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I would just like to say that I am excited
about this program. I'm excited about Memphis city beautiful in general.
But I just really would love for people to adopt
the street because this is just something that the city
of Memphis, like, we hear you all. We know that
this city needs to be clean, and this is just
a great opportunity for people to have some buying in
(23:16):
and take the lead. And so I just encourage everyone
to adopt the street.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Well, thank you so much. You have been just simply
fabulous and I want you, I like see these young
folks working in these jobs.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Thank you. Yeah, with all these wonderful ideas, and I
can tell that you have some wonderful ideas.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Coming up for Memphis City Beautiful and the City of Memphis.
Thank you so much, You're so welcome this charity.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Cole y'all the executive director the new executive director of
Memphis City Beautiful. The views and opinions discussed on The
Bev Johnson Show are that of the hosts and callers
and not those of the staff and sponsors of WDA.
We want to thank you callers, We want to thank
(24:00):
you listeners for joining us this day on the Bev
Johnson Show.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
We do, we really do appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
So until tomorrow, please be safe, keep a cool head, y'all,
don't let.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Anyone steal your joy.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Until tomorrow, I'm Bev Johnson, and y'all keep the faith.
(25:00):
And then
Show bell, jumping time with this talking and home away.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
However you go, you go, son't.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Getting ready in time to say show bell show, Let's
go bell just then we you'll make your ody right here?
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Wrong?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
D I.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Listen to want to say, you know, it's tip of
the bell to show, tap.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Of the belt of show like let's go.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Good afternoon, and welcome back to the BEV Johnson Show.
It's Monday, October twenty seventh, twenty twenty five. We're rocking
and rolling. As I said earlier this morning in the
house for the first time. I'm glad to see this
young woman.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I like this. She is Miss Charity Cole.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
She is the executive director of Memphis City Beautiful. And
I want to say good afternoon to you, Miss Charity Cole.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Good afternoon, I'm doing great today.
Speaker 6 (01:33):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
I'm doing well. I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the BEV Johnson Show in WDIA.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, before before I get to talk to Miss Charity Cole,
let me give it.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
I want to do this. I'm meant to do it earlier.
Big shout out to Brother Roosevelt Mohammed in Minnesota. Oh
my lord, y'all, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Been years, years, years, years years, brother brother Roosevelt reached
out to me. I'm go like, what hadn't heard from him?
But what's our brother Roosevelt? Miss Missie Hey, good to
hear from you, and thank you, thank you for listening.
At all times I called mister Rosevelt. He was my
pyt yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Back in the day, back in the day.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah, he would hang around with Brother Shah Heed and
all those fellows. So, Hi, Brother Roosevelt in Minnesota. So
miss Cherity Cold, thank you for letting me do that.
I appreciate it, and I want you to tell our
listeners a little bit about charity.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Cole.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Are you a Memphim Yes, I was born and raised
here in Memphis. I came back to Memphis after college.
I went to NTSU, and I just really began my
career with the City of Memphis. For a couple of years.
I have been working in public works, which is now
community Enhancement. I had my time at the Council's office
for a couple of years, and I am back here.
(03:01):
I'm doing basically working over Memfi city beautiful with community enhancement.
So it's really been a full circle journey.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Oh wonderful, and Cherry, I'm so glad you told me that.
So they changed the name.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
It's not public works, so it is public works.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
It's public works still, but the neighborhood improvement part of
what was public works is now considered community in hands.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Oh good, good, good good.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
So now you are the executive director of Memphis City Beautiful, yes, ma'am,
So tell our listeners who might not. I was sharing
y'all with Cheerity. She's gonna tell you about Memphis City Beautiful.
But years ago I was sharing with her that I
used to be one of the board members on the
(03:47):
board of directors of Memphis City Beautiful, and I didn't
know Cherity did that you all were still operating, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
We are still operating Memphis City Beautiful. We're focused on
beautiful vacation efforts within the city. When it comes down
to plantings, educational programs, and even just cleanliness recycling. We
specialize in that it's really a boots on the ground
effort when it comes down to just beautifying and making
Memphis look better.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Sister, we need to do better, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
If we want to make Memphis look better, because we
talk about that all the time on the show Charity,
about how Memphis looks now and and what it looked
twenty and twenty five years ago.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Memphis.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Memphis is a beautiful city, but now it's gotten to
the point.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Where it's not so beautiful, right.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And so that's what you all. You all are trying
to make it beautiful again.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yes, ma'am, I'm excited about this role that I've recently
got in because I'm able to really pour into Memphis
and have that direct hand and beautification and bringing us
back to where we once. So I do think that
this is a journey that I'm on, but it's it's
something that I know that will be rewarding in the
end because I'm fully committed to, like just pouring myself into.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
That good good.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So when we talk about Memphis city beautiful, and you
mentioned some of the things that you all are doing,
and one of the things that struck me is when
you talked about the recycling. And I don't know, Charity,
if people in Memphis get the recycling because and you
(05:34):
tell me if I'm wrong, we get two garbage cans.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Ones for recycling and ones for the trash.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Right, right, But I don't think people are using that
recycling or I've seen some use it.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
For trash, which is not supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
But if we do the recycling, that's going to help
the city.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yes, ma'am. Absolutely, Solid Waste is really who housed that
recycling in the garbage in general. But we work with
Solid Waste when it comes down to pushing the messaging
with litter abatement and then also recycling, so it's really
a hand in hand type of effort.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So and another thing is one of the things that
bembas city beautiful.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And I don't know if you all did this. So
you mentioned bell about doing the flowers.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I know that big m that comes in when you
see it from the airport and the the m that's
on Parkway. So do you all do that or somebody
else is doing that in the city.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
We have our part in contributing to that as well, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So as as Memphis City beautiful, what do you want
our listeners to know?
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Well, I actually came on here to discuss our new
program that we're.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
That's good, that new program.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Yes, ma'am. We have really relaunched our Adopted Street program,
and we've really basically gone in to just allow people
to really cater the cleanups in this adoption process to them.
So Adopted Street allows for Memphians, individuals, organizations, businesses to
(07:19):
basically adopt their street. And with adopting the street, you're
committing to quarterly cleanups and you basically send in your
metrics to us to let us know about your cleanups.
And then but Memphis City Beautiful is requesting for everyone
to commit to seek or more cleanups.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Of your street. Okay, so I want to be cleared.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So you're asking our listeners now to adopt your street,
keep your street beautiful. Yes, ma'am, Lord Charity, It's gonna
be hard for me. And the reason I said that
because and I say this all the time because you know,
you haven't been on the show. But I always tell
(08:03):
my listeners every day when I go home, when I
leave work, I'm picking up paper in front of my house.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
People have thrown out bottles and you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Know it's just it's you know, it's frustrating, charity. So
how we when you have people continue to do then
they probably don't even live on the street.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Then you have to keep in front of your house.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Well, at least I try to keep in front of
my house in my yard clean. But I come out
in the morning, there's some bottles, there's some cans, there's
some food wrappers.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Charity is hard system, Yes, it is hard.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
But what I will say about this program is that
it pushes the sense of neighbor your neighbors, so you
really want to we want people to have cleanups that
joins everyone in Okay, so if the city beautiful, we
already have a tool bank and we already help when
it comes down to providing items for cleanups, which will
(09:03):
be your best grabbers and everything else gloves. So with
that being said, this program really you will be the
individual adopter or your organization, but when it comes down
to cleaning up, it's really a collective effort from everyone
in the neighborhood. Grab your go down, knock on doors,
(09:23):
ask them what they like to join in a cleanup
with you. That's really what we want to push because yeah,
I know that people are prideful and passionate when it
comes down to where they live. This program allows you
to let that pride bleed in to your work and
put that passion into action and so I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Okay, So.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Listeners, they're hearing you today, so they would need to
call the Memphis city beautiful.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So again, Timmy, how's works?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So you're going to tell the name of your street
or your neighborhood or how does that work?
Speaker 5 (09:58):
So we we have our website already kind of programs.
You can click adopted Street. It takes you to the
adopted Street page. What you do is click on our
interactive map to your street and you can really type
your street in and you can click that and put
your application in to adopt the street. Our team is
going to review it and then what we'll do is
(10:20):
reach back out to you to confirm the adoption, allow
you to have your introduction meeting, and then set a
time up for you to pick up your adopter's kit.
And so if that is something that if your Internet savvy,
of course, go on in and do that application. But
if you're having trouble with it, give us a call
(10:40):
at our office and we'll definitely be able to put
that in for you as well.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Okay, I got that, I got that.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
If you've just tuned in this afternoon, we are talking
with Miss Charity Cole She is the new executive director
of Memphis City Beautiful. They have a new program Adopted Street,
and we're talking about this day. If you have a
question or two four charity about Memphis City Beautiful and
(11:09):
what they're doing and how you can get involved, we
invite you to call right now nine zero one five
three five, nine three four two eight hundred five zero
three nine three four two eight three three five three
five nine three four two will get.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
You in to us.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You're listening to the Heart and Soul of Memphis w
d I A. It's the Queen of Talk, Your Girlfriend
and Mine, Bem Johnson on w d IA the Bedjo.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You're listening to the Bev Johnson Show. Here's Bev Johnson.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
And we're talking with the executive director of Memphis City
Beautiful Charity Cold Charity. I'm going to our phone lines
to talk to our listeners.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Hi, miss Brenda, Hey, bab how you doing.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
It's to your guest, how are you?
Speaker 5 (13:00):
How are you?
Speaker 6 (13:01):
I'm wonderful. Look, I'm just getting in. I didn't get
a chance to hear mostly everything, but it's that that's
all good of what you all have trying to do
here in the state of Memphis. But my course is
once you get a street, I wanted adopt the street
to get it done whel there be somebody to come
(13:22):
along and pick up the bags or trash, the broken
down furnish or whatever may be left alone the way.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Yes, ma'am, so, because I know vi've caused the three
one one number in the past a couple of months
and they were behind on someone to come in.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
That particular area to pick up the trash and with
the breeze or whatever's powered up, and so that would
be a big hemp if you don't have someone to
come along to help stuff of being left to the
side for more than fifteen or thirty days, which I
can't understand that when when I get my m L
(14:02):
g w B that's coming out of my UH pay
that I have to pay for trash pick up and
debris and stuff. But that I mean, it's not getting
done in a proper manner.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So but so again, yeah, Brenda, let let charity you
had you were going to respond, go on charity.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Yes, ma'am. So when it comes down to UH, particularly
with the adopted street program, we'll be running it like
we do all of our cleanups. When we have cleanups
on streets. We basically select a point where you would
lead that trash and that debris and we'll immediately have
someone from Community Enhancement to pick that up. That is
(14:45):
separate from basically the bulk trash pickup schedule with solid ways.
But still we're still part of the city of Memphis,
and I know that from our history. When it comes
down to those to those cleanups, we do ensure that
those things are picked up because we do not want
it to turn into just this blighted area or a
(15:06):
potential dumb site.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
Yes, ma'am, okay, well, thank you for answering it, because, uh,
I know it needs to be taken care of, and
it's a lot of streets. They're definitely easy. And I
applause you all for getting your team to stay together
to get this done. And I hope I can get
in and have time to adopt one this way.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
All right, Brenda, thank you, Brenda, You're welcome. Bye bye
w d I a unforgetful Yes.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
Missus Johns. I will just listening to your show and
I want to ask you, eye lady, whatever happened to
this scene that back in the past when they had
the city beautiful property. They'll be scattered all over news tapers,
all on TV and everything that had the most beautiful
property that kept it up in everything with landscape and
(15:56):
all that, And I wonder why can we go back
to that? And also when I grew up in the ages,
I saw all kind of stuff. I mean, we had
all kind of peach trees, fruits everywhere, strawberry, blueberry, peanuts, walnuts,
I'm free everything. Why can't they under So you.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Want to know if they have that beautify program their
property the whole home of the month and that used
to be. So let charity answer, Okay, charity, and why.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
Can't they start, uh giving these seeds and stuff for
people to grow stuff back?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Unforgetta forget. Let her answer the question if they have
those Okay, go on, charity. Okay.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
So when it comes down to the program that you
mentioned earlier, it was discontinued, but that is something that
I know that we can definitely get started. I'm gonna
work with my team so we can get that relaunched.
Especially if this it's something that you and other mempions
will be looking forward to to having. So of course
(17:06):
there's something that we can do. Another thing that regarding
the seats now, we do offer seats now regarding like
flowers and stuff like that, but we are working towards
really diving deeper into community gardens. We have plantings with
schools and we do assist in community gardens, but we
(17:28):
do want to push that because of course we love
for fruit and anything else that could be of an
assistance to communities as well. So thank you so much
for asking that question.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Thank you, unforgetful, good question.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Just before you go, what is that?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Okay, heard your days but.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Okay, I know, but it's new days now, thank you, unforgetful.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
W D I a hi caller, Hey bell again.
Speaker 6 (18:01):
I just want to ask the young lady. Do you
remember when we back in the day when we had
clean up, fixed up, paint up week, back in the
spring of the year.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I remember that Charity is young. This is a young
lady up in here.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
This is al.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
She's not our age and she don't remember clean up,
fix up, paint up, but I do.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
You don't remember nod of it. She's heard of it,
but she doesn't remember. She's young. She's a young, beautiful woman.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
Okay, okay, Well, it's been a nice thing we could
get that back on the road, especially during the spring,
because people were excited about it.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
You know, spring time brings out excitement and energy.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
And people, and people want to fix things up.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
So I think it was a good thing to promote
that clean up, fix up, paint up, yes, ma'am poor method.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Yes, ma'am, I'm glad that you brought that up. But
we are actually working on a spring cleaning type of
event as well, because we do want to push that,
especially in the spring. And I do agree with you
on this, So thank you so much for bringing it up.
Speaker 6 (19:12):
All right, thank you, Thank you, Beverly.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
And I think Beverly that miss Charity Cold.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
She's a young woman and she you know, these young people,
they have all these wonderful ideas and I can see
in her face, Charity, you got a lot of things
you want to do with Memphis City Beautiful.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Yes, ma'am, I do.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I know you do.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
So again, the program you're pushing now is the Doctor Street.
Tell our listeners how they can do that in about
the website, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
So you will go on our website Memphis City Beautiful
dot org and over on the program's bar at the
top you'll click adopt the street and there's a video
on the web page along with an interactive map where
you can put your application in. And then there's also
so the option of calling our office just so you
(20:04):
can get some more information and we'll we'll go on
ahead and put that application in for you and walk
you through everything as well.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
It is the website Memphis City Beautiful.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
Or memphisitieautiful dot org, mificity beautiful dot org.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Do you know the number by.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Hard The number is nine oh one six three six
four four one zero.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Four for one zero yes, And then they can call
the number if they can do the computer.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
You all will help them. We will, We'll help you.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
We'll put it in for you even if you wanted
to send us an email. We've had people send us
an email as well and just say hey, I want
to adopt this street. If and we'll go in and
put the application in for you as well, And you
can email us at city dot Beautiful, at Memphis TN dot.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Go o V see it well more time City.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
Dot Beautiful at me FIFTN dot gov.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Sounds good and again charity, because I know I'm I'll
ask you before you get out of here asked that question.
You said, and once people do that, you all have
the tools for them to work with. When you say
those kind of the tools, what are the tools?
Speaker 5 (21:19):
So we have a tool bank and in our ToolBank
we have litter grabbers, we have gloves, garbage bags, shovels, wheelbarrows,
we have a lot of different tools. And that's not
just for specifically adopted street. It's if you, as just
a community member, want to host the cleanup in your community,
(21:39):
go on our website. Are also under resources you can
basically reserve a spot to pick up tools. We have
special event boxes like litter boxes that you can also
rent from us as well. So we have a plethora
of items that you can come on in and just
rent from us, because we know that the effort of
(22:00):
cleaning up could be kind of expensive, especially with owning
those products. And if you have a lot of people,
just let us know and we can also provide you
best safety businesses.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Will so community organizations can get these tools and if
they're doing a cleanup, because I know a lot of
people do cleanups and stuff and so they don't have
all the tools.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
With the garbage bags, you didn't get them from you all.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yes, And then of course going back to the picking up,
if you are having a cleanup, just contact us and
let us know and we can specifically basically select a
spot where you be putting those trash bags and we'll
work with our team in community enhancement and have those
bags picked up.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
You've given us some great information Charity call. You've given
us a little hope for Memphis to become beautiful again.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Thank you. Any last words you'd like to say to
our listeners.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I would just like to say that I am excited
about this program. I'm excited about Memphis city beautiful in general.
But I just really would love for people to adopt
the street because this is just something that the city
of Memphis, like, we hear you all. We know that
this city needs to be clean, and this is just
a great opportunity for people to have some buying in
(23:16):
and take the lead. And so I just encourage everyone
to adopt the street.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Well, thank you so much. You have been just simply
fabulous and I want you, I like see these young
folks working in these jobs.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Thank you. Yeah, with all these wonderful ideas, and I
can tell that you have some wonderful ideas.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Coming up for Memphis City Beautiful and the City of Memphis.
Thank you so much, You're so welcome this charity.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Cole y'all the executive director the new executive director of
Memphis City Beautiful. The views and opinions discussed on The
Bev Johnson Show are that of the hosts and callers
and not those of the staff and sponsors of WDA.
We want to thank you callers, We want to thank
(24:00):
you listeners for joining us this day on the Bev
Johnson Show.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
We do, we really do appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
So until tomorrow, please be safe, keep a cool head, y'all,
don't let.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Anyone steal your joy.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Until tomorrow, I'm Bev Johnson, and y'all keep the faith.
(25:00):
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