St. Charles Parish is encouraging volunteer groups, schools, families and individuals to help clean and beautify the parish in October through its ongoing Trash Bash initiative.

The fall Trash Bash is a month-long effort to clean roadside litter and spruce up private yards, homes and businesses throughout the parish.

Volunteers decide which areas they wish to clean, and some work supplies will be available upon signup.

This version of the cleanup will not feature an after-celebration, but volunteers will be eligible to win one of two Apple iPad minis — generously donated through a grant from Entergy — in an online photo contest.

Groups or individuals wishing to participate must sign up at scptrashbash.org using the form provided to be entered into the contest. Participants then have until midnight Oct. 31 to email photos of their cleanup or beautification project to publicinfo@stcharlesgov.net. Before and after photos and action photos are encouraged.

During the first week in November, all entries will be posted to the Trash Bash Facebook page with a full description of each project. After five days, the two projects with the most ‘likes’ associated with its photo will win the 2015 Fall Trash Bash Photo Contest.

Organizers said Trash Bash is also a great way for students to gain service hours required by their schools, churches or community organizations. Group leaders can receive service hour certificates by emailing publicinfo@stcharlesgov.net or calling 985-783-5182.