As areas around the city were beautified Saturday as part of the Great American Cleanup, the south side of Reading did not get ignored.
The city-based community action and arts group Barrio Alegria and South of Penn, a task force of the Wyomissing Foundation focusing on south Reading, took to the streets to clean up litter and educate neighbors.
“When we saw that the City of Reading was organizing some actions for the Great American Cleanup we decided to invite people to be a part of it,” said Daniel Egusquiza, executive director of Barrio Alegria.
The city organized 12 cleanup projects around the city in areas like parks, playgrounds and some street corners. Organizing their own event, Barrio Alegria and South of Penn focused on a four-block area near Seventh and Bingaman Streets.
Neighbors welcomed the cleanup and also took information about litter abatement from the group. Three residents of the area joined the 10 other participants, Egusquiza said.
“This is more than just ‘parachute programing’ where a group drops in and does something good,” Egusquiza said. “Without the neighbors getting involved the effort will not sustain itself.”
The group had 10 full bags of litter and trash by the end of the cleanup, according to Egusquiza.
Egusquiza said the group will hold a meeting May 5, at Union Grocery Store, 313 S. Seventh St., for neighbors to learn more about cleanups and other community projects.
