Spring Clean-up Day in Lincoln results in a lot less trash laying along city roadways

[April 23, 2018] 

LINCOLN 

On Saturday morning more than 125 people gathered in Latham Park to start out a day of cleaning up city right-of-ways and ditches. The group worked from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and gathered up more than 175 bags of trash. They covered areas such as Woodlawn Road coming into town, North Kickapoo near the Motel 6 and Generations Nursing Home, Limit Street coming in from Mount Pulaski, Illinois Route 10 coming in from Clinton, Lincoln Parkway around town, and Stringer Avenue coming off of Lincoln Parkway and working toward the Mill on Route 66.

The day began at 8 a.m. with registration and assignment to one of seven buses that were loaned by various organizations including Park Meadows Church, Open Arms Fellowship, and Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois. Each person registering was assigned to a bus that would deliver him or her to a specific location. Once out of the bus, gloves were worn and trash bags were filled at a surprisingly fast rate.

Before heading out, volunteers were treated to sweets from Mel-O-Cream and hot beverages. As the nine o’clock hour approached Pastor Tony Shuff, director of the local Salvation Army, offered a prayer for a safe and productive day, then everyone headed out.

Also at the park was a large map of the city, provided by the local boy scouts. Turner said the boy scouts had asked that they be permitted to set up the map and provide information about an “Adopt-A-Block” program they are working to establish.

The concept of adopt a block is very simple. The Boy Scouts are encouraging everyone to adopt the block where they live. All one has to do is once a week or so, grab up a trash bag and go for a walk around your immediate area. As you enjoy your walk, pick up the trash you see lying in the street or gutters.

At 11 a.m. buses began collecting the workers, and pick-up trucks filled with full trash bags made their way to a collection bin on the city property across from the park. The bin, provided by Area Disposal proved to be no match for the large quantity of trash collected by volunteers.

While bags were being thrown into the dumpster, volunteers were keeping count. At the park, a goal had been set to collect 150 bags of trash, and volunteers were keeping track and were happy to see that the collection day had blown that goal right out of the water.

In Latham Park, Nuthatch Hill BBQ was setting up with pulled pork sandwiches, chips, drinks, and dozens and dozens of cookies. A hand cleaning station was set up for volunteers to wipe off the germs and grim before enjoying their meal.

People gathered around enjoying their meal also talked among themselves about the number of bags collected. They had been amazed by some of the things that people threw out along the sides of the road. Volunteers reported finding everything from tires and hubcaps, to fast food bags, uneaten food, pop cans and bottles, cardboard boxes, and even drug paraphernalia such as injection needles.

Others spoke about how quickly they filled bags. One illustration of that was seen along Stringer Avenue where filled trash bags were left alongside the road for the pick-up trucks that were following behind workers. On that street, filled bags were being left every few feet.

When Turner returned to the park he was very happy and excited about what the group had accomplished in a two hour period. He had planned the event to be productive, and yet not take up the entire day of all the volunteers. He noted that even after collecting all those bags of trash, there were still areas that the volunteers did not make it to, but he was very pleased with what had been done.

Turner said that getting the day organized had been a challenge, but that it was worth it and he would be happy to see a Spring Clean-up event every year from here on out. He noted this was Earth Day weekend, a fitting time to get out and clean up around our town.

Along with all the volunteers, the Spring Clean-up Day was supported by local businesses and organizations who offered donations of food for breakfast, bottled water, trash bags, gloves and transportation. Set up near the registration table was a large poster expressing thanks to all the sponsors for those donations. Volunteers were also encouraged to sign that poster to commemorate their participation in the day.

Sponsors named on that poster included AAA Siding & Windows, Lincoln IGA, Chris Coyne State Farm, Area Disposal, Flossie & Delzena’s, Visual Ink Productions, CAPCIL, Mel-O-Cream, Bee’s Landscaping, Open Arms Fellowship Church, Park Meadows Baptist Church, Eaton, Super 8 Motel, and Nuthatch Hill BBQ.

[Nila Smith]