Trash Available For Pickup Annual Event Set On April 21

Posted Apr 11, 2007 by Jessica Balanza

Updated Apr 11, 2007 at 11:36 AM

By JESSICA BALANZA

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On Earth Day, volunteers across Hillsborough County can show their appreciation for the planet by picking up trash during the 14th annual Great American Cleanup.

Christine Commerce, executive director of Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, said the cleanup started in the county as a pilot program about 15 years ago in Thonotosassa and Seffner.

“Concerned residents thought litter was a problem in their community,” said Commerce.

So they started the cleanup and after being successful, it was adopted countywide.

Since the program’s local inception, the event has been held on the third Saturday of April every year.

Commerce said the nonprofit organization always attempts to keep the date to coincide with Earth Day.

Last year, the event had about 2,000 volunteers throughout Hillsborough and about 122,128 pounds of trash was collected, said Commerce. Since the program started, about 2.5 million pounds of trash has been collected.

“This helps a lot looking at the big picture,” said Commerce. “If it wasn’t for these volunteers, we could have been buried under trash.”

This year’s cleanup, which is from 8:30 a.m. to noon, has about 21 sites open to the public and about eight sites with private parties as volunteers, which include schools and organizations.

Commerce said volunteers often find the most unusual items, including such things as money, wave runners, sinks and tires.

“I encourage people to come out,” said Commerce. “Basically it’s about picking up litter and educating about the hazards.”

She explained that litter impacts the community drastically by decreasing property values, affecting wild life and eventually even increasing crime.

Terry Raulerson, a site captain for Shimberg Park in Town ‘N Country, said there is a lot of activity at his designated site and many forget to take care of the mess afterwards.

“We have to make sure we don’t destroy the planet,” said Raulerson. “I want me and my children to live here a little longer.”

Other than picking up trash, volunteers are asked to fund raise for the organization. The Trash-A-Thon, a fundraiser to help maintain the cleanup program, is taking place for the second year. Volunteers are asked to collect pledges from the community. The group and individual who raise the most funds wins a prize.

Commerce said the pledges received will help purchase materials like bags, T-shirts and water distributed to volunteers on event dates. The design on this year’s T-shirts were the creation of an eighth-grader Ben Hill Middle School student named Jenny Loung.

The Trash-A-Thon will continue until April 21.

On Earth Day, April 22 a celebration known, as Earth Day Tampa Bay will be held for volunteers at Lowry Park, 7530 N. Boulevard, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pizza along with information about how to protect the environment will be provided at the celebration.

Instead of littering, Commerce suggests, individuals can contact the Hillsborough County Solid Waste Department and arrange trash pickups.

Holly Salmon, site captain for Ben Hill Middle School and a sixth-grade science teacher, said she is rallying the whole school to volunteer and pickup trash.

She is calling the school’s cleanup Party for Planet and teaching students the importance of taking care of the community.

“Many students are already motivated because they feel responsible in helping keep the planet clean,” said Salmon. “We hope it becomes an annual affair. It’s a wonderful
thing to impart to students and continue the tradition.”

In hopes of sending out the message that littering is not acceptable the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and other police organizations throughout the county will ticket individuals caught littering.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, penalties for littering range from $100 to felony criminal charges.

Volunteers for the Great American Cleanup should wear comfortable clothes, hats and closed-toed shoes. They can bring work gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent and water.

Gloves and water are available at the designated sites, but there can sometimes be a shortage.

Public sites in need of volunteers are:

-Hillsborough Community College, Dale Mabry Campus

-Hillsborough River at Lowry Park, 1101 W. Sligh Ave.

-Leto High School area (West Park), baseball park on Occident Street.

-Lutz Paint The Town, 105 2nd Ave. S.E.

-Nuccio Park, 4805 E. Sligh Ave.

-Perrone Park, 5010 Kelly Road, Town ‘N Country

-Shimberg Park, 7001 Armand Drive, Town ‘N Country

For information, call Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful at 960-5121 or visit http://www.khcbonline.org. Volunteers can just show up on the morning of the event to pitch in.

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