The event will be centered around Bailey Square, located on South 2nd Street between Walnut and Chestnut streets, where there will be large trash bins for the waste. Ordinary household garbage will not be accepted. But volunteers will be accepting other kinds of refuse, such as large appliances; yard waste that is bundled in 4-foot lengths; and tires. Household hazardous waste cannot be accepted.
Volunteers will be provided bags, gloves, a limited number of T-shirts, food and drinks. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rumpke trash collectors will make pickups along each street in the two areas, but Aaron Hufford, a senior analyst in the city manager’s office, suggested putting items out Friday evening to make sure items aren’t put out Saturday after the collectors come by.
People who want to volunteer, or those who need help having their items picked up, can call Harris at 513-578-5040.
The cleanups date to 1995, when 364 people helped out, and have happened every year except two or three since then, Harris said. The events also are an opportunity to create community fellowship, he said.
Aside from making the areas nicer for residents, another goal is to “try to attract businesses to the community,” Harris said: “There’s no grocery store in the 2nd Ward. There’s no drug store in the 2nd Ward. There’s a lot of things that I feel are essential for a neighborhood to grow.”
“The more businesses in the neighborhood, mom-and-pops, the more opportunities for kids in the community to have jobs during the summer and learn about daily living, and what it takes,” Harris said.
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