What started as a social media post to help clear litter from an area road soon turned into a community-wide effort to ensure a fallen veteran’s memory lives on.
Numerous residents took to Old Stagecoach Road in Kyle Saturday as they cleared debris and litter as part of the city’s Adopt-A-Street program. All of it was done in the memory of Phillip J. Duran, who was struck by a car and killed in 2013.
The Kyle-Adopt-A-Street program is a volunteer opportunity where citizens can “adopt” one mile of street to keep to clear of litter in return for a street sign recognizing their efforts.
For Rebecca Duran the opportunity to adopt Old Stagecoach Road was a way to honor her son who used to jog the road before his death.
Duran said she would clean the mile stretch herself, but her efforts were not enough to combat the abundant amount of litter on the road.
However, a comment on Facebook for assistance galvanized the local community. Led by Ulan King, Brandee Brantly, Jamie White and Dave Douglas, the residents formed “The Duran Service Project,” a group of about 30 residents committed to help maintain the street.
“Here was Ms. Duran, not complaining, but rather working quietly by herself to keep a Kyle street clean. It was such a powerful symbol of hope through grief that brought many to tears, including myself.”
Travis Mitchell, Mayor of Kyle
Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell joined the event to help Duran keep the street looking pristine.
“Here was Ms. Duran, not complaining, but rather working quietly by herself to keep a Kyle street clean,” Mitchell said. “It was such a powerful symbol of hope through grief that brought many to tears, including myself.”
Duran said the cleanup effort was a memorial for the life her son lived. Saturday’s project was completed just one day before Philip’s birthday.
“I did not expect anyone to help and I can’t believe these people sacrificed their Saturday to come out here and honor my son,” Duran said. “I’ve never seen this street that clean. It means so much to me and it puts such a big weight off my shoulder.”
A day after the cleanup was scheduled, on Duran’s birthday, the city picked up the remaining bags of trash off of Old Stagecoach, leaving the road free of clutter and litter.
“With every can of alcohol I plucked from the roadside, my heart sank a little further into my stomach,” Mitchell said. “The project showed me, with all of our tough laws, some folks simply do not care who they endanger. We must be better as a community.”
