Mill Creek clean-up to be April 22

With more than 40 locations in the Mill Creek MetroParks system needing attention, more groups are needed more than ever to lend a hand and participate in this year’s Earth Day Cleanup.

Although more than 300 scouts and volunteers are expected to scour Mill Creek MetroParks in recognition of Earth Day to remove winter buildup of litter and debris, more help is needed. The cleanup is co-sponsored by the Whispering Pines District of the Great Trail Council, B.S.A. and Mill Creek MetroParks.

The cleanup takes place on April 22 throughout Mill Creek MetroParks. Coordinators will stop by the Ford Nature Education Center (840 Old Furnace Road, Youngstown, OH 44511) to pick up supplies before 9 a.m. and then meet with their groups at various locations and work until 12 p.m. This cleanup takes place rain or shine.

In 34 years, more than 11,350 participants have volunteered more than 35,000 hours to clean various areas of the MetroParks. Just in the past 15 years, more than 2,200 bags of trash and 1,000 bags of recyclables along with numerous loose items such as tires, toys, furniture, pipes, wood crates, electronic items and even the proverbial kitchen sink, have been removed. Last year, there were fewer bags of trash but more bags of recyclables.

As in years past, sponsorship of this event is in cooperation with the Recycling Division of the Mahoning County Green Team. They will be providing these hardworking volunteers with garbage and recycling bags, gloves and grab-its, as well as pencils, certificates and car litter bags for each participant.

This event is also in conjunction with the Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup, the country’s largest community improvement program that kicks off in more than 20,000 communities each spring. This national program engages more than 5 million volunteers and participants who take action in their communities every year to create positive change and lasting impact. Details can be found out at https://www.kab.org/our-partners.

The MetroParks hosts the event by facilitating the organization and registration of groups, sites and supplies. Rural Metro Ambulance will be on-site in case of an emergency. Areas within this cleanup include Mill Creek Park and Mill Creek MetroParks Regional Facilities Yellow Creek Park and the MetroParks Farm.

For more information about this year’s cleanup or to have your group, organization, church, school, family or individuals come out and lend a hand, call the Ford Nature Education Center at 330-740-7107 or Mike Kupec, Mill Creek MetroParks Earth Day Cleanup Chairman for the Boy Scouts, at 330-519-3988.