More than 700 volunteers turned out for Auburn’s eighth annual Clean Sweep project last Saturday, donating a little free time and some sweat from their brows to help beautify the community.
The volunteers worked on 41 projects in 21 different locations, performing such tasks as picking up trash and cutting back weeds at places like Roegner Park and the White River Trail.
“It was fantastic,” said organizer Julie Brewer, recreation special programs and marketing manager for the Auburn Parks, Arts and Recreation Department. “It’s fantastic the amount of people who come down to help out, and I’m amazed at the level of their commitment to the community of Auburn.”
Volunteers gathered at Auburn City Hall at 7:30 a.m. for a pancake breakfast, courtesy of the Kiwanis Club of Auburn, then participated in the ceremonial Main Street sweep with Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis and a pair of the city’s street sweepers.
Then it was time to peel off to the project sites, which included painting a mural to be hung on the Auburn Avenue Theater and cleaning various sites in the community.
For members of Cub Scout Pack 477 from Dick Scobee Elementary, it was off to Game Farm Park where the boys were assigned to clean up a bridge over the White River.
“We wanted to teach the boys to do some community service,” said pack leader John Wildey. “And care for their city and get locally involved.”
For Tzion Victorin, 9, the event was so important that he gave up a Little League game to participate.
“I could have been playing a baseball game today instead,” Victorin said. “I gave that up to help clean up and help make sure the streets are clean.”
Added fellow pack member Austin Schaefer, 9, a third-grader at Scobee: “I came out to help others. It’s important to clean up because people could get hurt tripping over something on the sidewalk if you don’t sweep up.”
At the B Street Plaza just off Main Street, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAW) District 751 turned out 25 strong to clean the plaza.
“I scheduled this event because we’ve been doing this for the last few years,” volunteer program chair Robley Evans said. “We do this because we think it’s important. This is just one of hundreds we’ll do this year.”
Auburn’s Clean Sweep program was implemented by Lewis in 2002 to promote community pride and cooperation. Although originally intended as a one-time event, it was so successful at bringing volunteers together that it became an annual event.
“It’s pretty important because if you don’t clean up the community, it won’t look nice like this,” said Kyle Wilkins, 9, of Pack 477.
