Coca-Cola Cleans Up Chastain Park

A team of Coca-Cola employees and their family members spent time Saturday at Chastain Park sprucing up the grounds and making rain barrels from drums that once held Coke’s secret syrup.

The volunteer effort was part of the company's month-long Earth Day celebration.

Volunteers planted native grasses, cleared overgrowth and invasive plants, and spread a fresh layer of wood chips on the trails.

Coca-Cola is partnering with River Network and other groups to provide more than 1,000 old syrup drums that will be turned into rain barrels for use across the U.S.

The company says this year's effort puts the total number of former syrup containers turned rain barrels at 22,000 since 2008. Officials estimate the rain barrels collect enough water each year to fill 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools.