“Keep Hamburg Beautiful” is more than just a catchphrase, at least for the dozens of volunteers who gathered Saturday morning, April 25 in the Primrose Alley Tot Lot. The group was part of a clean-up initiative organized by the Our Town Foundation and sponsored by several businesses.
“When people come to visit Hamburg, we don’t want them to see our streets riddled with litter,” said Lori LaPearl, event coordinator. LaPearl works at the foundation and also lives in Hamburg. “We want them to see that we take pride in our town.”
More than 50 individuals helped with the clean up. They were put into groups of 10 or so and sent to sections across town. Paper maps, handed out along with thick work gloves, orange safety vests and heavy-duty trash bags, indicated each group’s route with color-coded streets and alleyways. In the end, more than 30 bags of trash were collected.
Among those participating in “Keep Hamburg Beautiful” were a group of young men from Teen Challenge and members of the Hamburg Area High School’s Wilderness Club. Several boy scout and cub scout troops were represented, as well as teams from the Bridge Church and Niagra Bottling. Individual community members also volunteered, and those present included several young children.
“Today, I get to help!” one youngster proudly proclaimed as his mother helped him shrug into a glow-orange vest.
Pack 120 Cubmaster, Keith Sepke, noted his scouts participate every year. “We make it our community service project, especially since we’re in Hamburg,” he said, noting the boys enjoy the camaraderie of the event.
“They’re already aware, as cub scouts, about keeping their area clean,” Sepke explained. “Now they’re really putting it into practice.”
“Keep Hamburg Beautiful” is organized twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The spring effort is part of the nationwide “Great American Clean Up” movement.
Although LaPearl organized the fall event, Saturday’s clean up was the first she was able to attend.
“I feel it was a huge success, due in part to all of the volunteers that attended as well as all of the sponsors that donated to our event,” she said. “I thank everyone who helped make this day a success and I look forward to our fall clean up.”
LaPearl noted citizens are always encouraged to grab the litter they see on the street and around the neighborhood.
“To me,” she added, “keeping our town beautiful should be an everyday thing, not just in the spring or fall.”
Sponsors for the spring event and the picnic which followed included Berks Packaging, Dieffenbach’s Chips, Dutch Maid Bakery, Hamburg Southgate, Jerry B’s Tattooing, Niagra Bottling, Penn-DOT and St. John’s Thrivent Church. Aaron Muller donated the grill for the picnic. Also sponsoring the cleanup was Keep America Beautiful, a nationwide movement (see www.kab.org).
