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An environmental nonprofit and a Rocky Mount company teamed up for a cleanup at two Nash County schools last week.

Sound Rivers and Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant employees spent Friday at Northern and Southern Nash high schools, sprucing up campus rain gardens.

“Most of the work happened at Northern Nash High School, getting the rain gardens back in shape. They were still functioning, but needed some TLC,” said Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck. “We also planted between 100 and 150 plants in the rain garden at Southern Nash.”

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., two groups tackled the beautification projects, weeding, planting, mulching and picking up trash from the rain gardens and parking lots. Native species such as sweet flag, sedges, coreopsis, coneflower, Joe Pye weed, swamp sunflower and soft rush were planted in the gardens designed to capture stormwater runoff from the schools’ impervious surfaces, filtering the runoff before it flows to nearby waterways.

This Sound Rivers and Cummins partnership is in its third year, and came about through Cummins’ Water Works, a program developed to strengthen communities through sustainable water access, conservation and improved water quality, as well as provide opportunities for employees to participate in both caring for and enjoying their environment. Previously, Sound Rivers staff and Cummins employees have collaborated on six land and river cleanups on the Tar River and its tributaries, removing more than a ton of trash from waterways and banks. The latest project represents a change of venue, to green stormwater infrastructure at Nash County schools constructed through Sound Rivers’ Campus Stormwater Program.

Also joining in for Friday’s school cleanup were Stephanie Collins, the City of Rocky Mount’s Keep America Beautiful coordinator, Cummins’ Corporate Responsibility Operations Manager Lea Palomino and Scott Saum, Cummins Water Works corporate responsibility leader.

“It was certainly a hot day, but also an incredibly fulfilling one,” Saum said. “We truly enjoyed the opportunity to work side by side with the Sound Rivers team and other community volunteers to support such a meaningful project. Seeing the rain garden take shape with the before and after photos and knowing the positive benefits and impact it will provide for the school made all the hard work worthwhile.”

According to Deck, though plenty was accomplished, there’s more work to be done.

“We plan to return in October to finish the job at a second rain garden at Northern Nash and mulch the rain garden at Southern Nash,” she said. “And we could use Sound Rivers volunteers in the Nash County area to help!” 

Cummins has been powering progress for more than 100 years. From advanced engines and power systems to zero-emissions technologies, the company helps customers around the world meet their performance, productivity and sustainability goals. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins employs approximately 67,400 people globally and reported $33.7 billion in sales in 2025.