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Volunteers team up, pitch in for city cleanup effort
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
Cleaning up the city became a community effort when Green Youngstown had its semiannual cleanup event.
Volunteers met Saturday at the Covelli Centre to collect supplies and tools: T-shirts, gloves, long-handled garbage grabbers, garbage bags, ringers to hold the bags open and bottled water.
They then spread out through the city to clean areas that needed it.
The city’s street department picked up the garbage collected.
“We try to find tools that help people,” said Jennifer Jones, litter control coordinator for the city. “We’re all about making it as easy as possible. We appreciate all our volunteers.”
Green Youngstown, a division of the public works department, is responsible for administering litter-prevention and recycling programs within Youngstown.
The citywide cleanup takes place in the spring and fall.
A cleanup of highway ramps also takes place in the spring.
The events get a good response, said Eboni Bogan, educator for Green Youngstown. Individuals and groups volunteer.
“We can all do our part, so we just want to facilitate that,” Bogan said.
Larger equipment, such as lawn mowers and trimmers, is available to use for free by pre-registering.
“And you can mow that overgrown lot or whatever it is in your neighborhood that you need to get done to beautify the city,” Bogan said.
Tools also are available from Green Youngstown year-round by request.
Joyce Robinson participated for the first time Saturday.
She lives on the East Side and wanted to clean up the area around her apartment complex.
She recruited neighbors to help.
“Somebody’s got to do it,” she said.
She appreciated the supplies she received from Green Youngstown.
“The more they give, the less we have to go out and buy,” Robinson said.
Bruce and Mary Rhodes, of Green Township, also participated for the first time.
“I saw the commercial on television and thought it would be a good thing to come out and just help,” Mary said.
“I think it’s great. I think it’s an easy thing that people can do to go out and make it look a little nicer,” she added.
Green Youngstown is funded by the city of Youngstown and the Mahoning County Solid Waste District Green Team.