When we last spoke with Sally Dawley back in late-July of last year, she had picked up 24,760 discarded cigarette butts since moving to Orland in mid-May. As of Saturday, March 18, when she was spotted picking up butts at the Burger King on Newville Road, the number was 86,150, an increase of 61,390. These numbers are precise because Dawley keeps track with a handheld tally counter. Prior to moving to Orland, she lived in Auburn, Calif., where she picked up more than two million butts and earned herself the title, the “Butt Lady of Auburn.” Why does she do this? Because cigarette butts are very toxic and harm birds and other wildlife, as well as dogs that sometimes eat them. So, the next time you are in Orland and you see Sally Dawley picking up butts with her tongs and plastic bags, give her a big “thumbs-up.” She is helping to make Orland a better place. As we wrote back in July, there are no ifs, ands or butts about it. Glenn County Observer photo by Donna Wilder.
The Glenn County Observer 