Volunteers are urged to join in an Ontario clean-up this Saturday. (Enterprise/file)
ONTARIO – It’s time for a little spring cleaning around Ontario, and the Ontario Kiwanis Club is looking for helpers.
The club is scheduling its first City Clean-up for Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s considered a “plogging” event – “picking up litter while jogging,” although volunteers can simply walk.
Bob Komoto of the club explained the need seen by members.
“The parks needed picking up,” he said in an email. “Also areas close to some of the more industrialized areas of town. But even Oregon Street in downtown Ontario had two large garbage bags full of trash. Parking lots were especially bad.”
Volunteers are asked to check in at Lanterman-Kiwanis Park, at Southeast 5th Avenue at Southeast 5th Street.
The club will provide trash bags, gloves, masks and grabbers. The litter-gitters are then free to move out on their own to pick up any area they think needs the attention. The club will have suggested areas to focus on as well.
Volunteers will travel on their own and return to the park, where large drop boxes will be on hand to gather the garbage bags.
The club started the community event in December 2020.
“It was a way of doing a service project that could be done in a Covid safe way,” Komoto said. “We were outside and everyone scattered around town to find a street or park to clean. We did it until snow stopped us.”
The monthly clean-ups resumed last April and continued through November.
Those who need more information can reach Komoto by email at [email protected].
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