Biannual community spring cleanup event to be this weekend
Volunteers asked to report to Latham Park at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 22
 

[April 18, 2023]   At the April 11th Committee of the Whole meeting of the Lincoln City Council, Scott Turner addressed the council during public participation. His goal was to inform the council of the upcoming city-wide Spring Cleanup Day.

The spring cleanup event is conducted every other year. Volunteers are asked to join together in groups and head out to the various entry points to the city of Lincoln in the buses provided, to pick up roadside trash.

Turner said that he does the spring-cleaning day every other year primarily because it is hard to get volunteers. He said that he is hoping there will be 150 to 200 volunteers coming out for the event. The volunteers will be divided into six groups, and obviously the more volunteers there are the more the group will be able to do in the two-hour period allotted for the clean-up.

The plan for the day is for volunteers will come to Latham Park for registration between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. There will be donuts on hand, and everyone will be encouraged to have a bite to eat before loading up in the buses at 9 a.m. Volunteers will collect trash for two hours until 11 a.m., then will come back to Latham Park for lunch and entertainment by The Corner Ramblers band from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Turner said he would ask that everyone who volunteers come wearing brightly colored shirts such as bright orange, yellow or green as he does not have safety vests available.

Turner said that along with the bus there will be a truck following where bags of trash can be deposited when filled. He said this was also part of a safety plan for the volunteers. If anyone should be injured the truck will be available to take the injured to seek medical care.

He said that speaking of injuries, he advises volunteers not to pick up glass that could cut or any other object that looks like it could cause injury.

Turner was asked about larger items found along the road. He responded that a few times they have found car tires, and other items, but mainly it is just common trash that people throw out their car windows or plastic and paper bags that get away from them in the wind.

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City Street Department Superintendent Walt Landers told Turner that if they come across tires, not to put them in the dumpster, but just toss them in the back of the truck and the city will take those for proper disposal.

Turner said he has once again worked with GFL (formerly Area Disposal) to have a large roll off dumpster for the collection of the trash.

Turner also noted the first year he conducted the cleaning day, volunteers collected over 2,000 pounds of trash. He said he does believe that people are getting better about not tossing trash into the right of ways. He said that two years ago volunteers collected fewer total pounds of trash.

Turner has been doing this town clean up for the last few years. He started it because he saw a need that he felt he could address. He said when guests come into our community, he wants them to be greeted with a clean looking community. He felt he could help accomplish this and has had a lot of support from not only volunteers coming to help, but local sponsors who assisted with the financial needs of the effort and the city of Lincoln who has blessed the effort and often its members such as the mayor and aldermen have come out and been a part of the day of work to clean up the city.

Turner encourages everyone who is willing and able to come out on Saturday morning and join the group. It is an activity that families can participate in together or groups of friends, clubs or just individuals who want to help.

The total number of volunteers will be divided into six groups and assigned to a bus. Everyone is encouraged to stay with a group.

[Nila Smith]