The first-ever countywide cleanup event is getting bigger, according to the county’s solid waste director.

Dan Palmer, director of the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District, told the Lawrence County Commission Thursday so far 27 entities have agreed to take part in the Lawrence County Clean-Up Day that will be Saturday, May 2.

Newcomers to the list are Boy Scout Troop 106 in Ironton, Lawrence County chapter of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Perry Township trustees, Friends of Sugar Creek Ridge, Hecla Water Association, South Point High School students, Central Christian Church in Ironton, the village of Coal Grove, Ohio Association of Youth Clubs, Dawson-Bryant High School students, First Baptist Church of Ironton, and Contraption Tees, which will design and donate T-shirts for the event.

Palmer said he anticipates more names added to the list in the coming weeks.

“I think Fairland and Chesapeake schools will join us, too,” he said. “I will find out next week the number in each group.”

The cleanup event is the first county-wide effort, although many communities have had their own individual events for a number of years.

Those who want to participate may call the solid waste office at (740) 532-1231.

Meanwhile, Palmer said the SWMD litter crew recently eradicated an illegal tire dump in Decatur Township. He said the Lawrence County Engineer’s Office employees helped because the tire pile was so large — a couple hundred tires were dumped.

The litter crew also recently helped clean up an 11-mile section of County Road 4. Palmer said one resident who lives on that roadway paid seven people to help the litter crew with the cleanup.

“I think it’s tremendous when we have a citizen like this working with us and even paying for it out of his own pocket,” Palmer said.