Volunteers to help clean the town are being sought for the Green and Clean event this Saturday, May 19.
Organizer Albert DeLoreto said volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at The Notch Visitor’s Center on College Highway to pick up supplies.
“We will identify priority areas, such as Longyard Road,” said DeLoreto. “That’s a bad spot. A lot of trash blows off trucks going to the transfer station.”
DeLoreto spearheaded the Green and Clean effort eight years ago while serving on the Southwick Conservation Commission. He said the commission was discussing the problem of trash along town roads that collects throughout the winter months and is left when the snow melts.
“The first year was great – we collected about 40 illegally dumped tires,” DeLoreto said, noting that in subsequent years the grassroots group had 50 volunteers collect two large dumpsters full of trash.
This year, Tractor Supply donated gloves, Interstate Building Supply donated contractor bags, Rite Aid donated water, The Notch is supplying food, and Berkshire Bank donated money for supplies.
“Everyone has been great,” said DeLoreto.
Volunteers will fill trash bags and bring them to a centrally located dumpster provided by the Department of Public Works (DPW). DPW Director Jeffrey Neece said two DPW highway employees would bring a truck on Saturday to help volunteers with large items,
The Commission is encouraging residents to organize with family, friends and co-workers to volunteer as a group to make the work faster, and asks residents to do their part at their homes by picking up trash in front of their houses and leaving the bags at the curb for pick-up.
Volunteers can show up Saturday morning. However, DeLoreto said it would be helpful for volunteers to call 896-0182 or 569-6907 to let him know how many volunteers would be there and if they have a specific area they would like to clean.
