×

Septuagenarian keeping riverbank clean

ELKINS — Along the riverbank on Tygart Avenue lives a woman who is passionate about the upkeep of her community, and is willing to get her hands dirty to clean up the area.

Reba Mills, 78, has been renovating landscapes as long as she has lived in Elkins, she said.

“I just cannot stand weeds and doing something about it improves the surroundings so much!” Mills said.

Mills alone has recently redone the entire riverbank in her neighborhood.

“I’ve been working at it for about five years,” she said. “The riverbank doesn’t look the greatest right now but I have some new ideas for it to make it better.

“Before I worked on it, it was all briars, weeds, and poison ivy. I’ve cleaned every bit of it one end to the other all by myself. I asked the neighbors if I could and they didn’t care. I just wanted it to look presentable.”

On top of giving the riverbank a facelift, Mills also helps out her neighbors as much as she can.

“I am also doing a project for my neighbor, who is trying to sell his property,” she said. “I got one garden finished and am still working on the rest. My husband does the mowing for him, too. We like to help out and spruce it up so that it will sell.”

After all of the hard work Reba Mills has put into beautifying the community, she will soon be recognized as a National Gardener.

“I will soon be a West Virginia University National Gardener. We had classes last year at the extension office,” she said. “I am not a National Gardener yet because I have to do so many hours of volunteer work before I can get it. It will be sometime next year. When I do get my gardeners I can teach others, and do things that I am already doing like helping the neighbors.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today