Published: October 18, 2008 09:43 pm            

About 400 volunteers work to pick up trash in Terre Haute as part of community cleaning effort

TERRE HAUTE — People who woke up to find orange cards hanging from their front doors Saturday shouldn’t be alarmed.

The door hangers were a new element of the semiannual city cleanup sponsored by the city of Terre Haute and Keep Terre Haute Beautiful — a subcommittee of TREES INC.

About 400 volunteers worked to pick up trash along some of the streets and alleys between Ohio Boulevard and Poplar Street, Farrington Grove, 12 Points and Sarah Scott Middle School.

Door hangers were placed on the doors of residents who had bulky items in their yard or on their porches to inform them how to dispose of the items if they choose to. The hangers were strictly for educational purposes, said Mayor Duke Bennett, as a lot of people don’t know they can have those items picked up for free.

In the spring, the city helped with TREES Inc.’s efforts to clean up, but this was the first time for an official partnership. Republic Services was also available to help.

“It’s irritating because I see people, even in their own yards, they just throw trash,” Bennett said. “I hope they change over time and want to keep their community clean.”

TREES Inc. has been hosting semi-annual clean-ups for nearly 10 years, though this clean-up covered the most territory and had the most participants, according to Janice Board, TREES member and Keep Terre Haute Beautiful committee member, who wasn’t surprised by the large turnout.

“I think there’s a general movement going on in Terre Haute,” she said, “and people are wanting to put the city’s best face forward.”

Michael Sales, Regina Atkins and their friends were among those people. As members of the Hulman Memorial Student Union Board at Indiana State University they try to not only participate in campus service events, but community service events, as well.

Though Atkins, 20, is from Indianapolis, Terre Haute is the students’ home while they are at school, she said.

“It’s our community and we have to take part in keeping the community nice and beautiful,” said Atkins, a junior and president of the Union Board. “I work in the admissions office and it’s important for recruiting people to come to our school.”

It was Stacie Mahoney’s third time participating in a clean-up, which gives her a new appreciation for not littering, she said. She said she recommends that everyone participate in a clean-up at least once and bring their children to show them what littering does.

When she sees someone litter, she said she thinks, “Don’t do that, I pick up trash here.”

Mahoney, 40, of Terre Haute was participating with co-workers from the south WalMart, something their employer encourages them to do.

“It’s to help Terre Haute, keep it clean,” she said. “It’s pretty bad when you drive down the street and see all the trash.”

Another new element of the event was a free trash drop off site at the City Hall parking lot. While it wasn’t utilized a lot Saturday, Bennett said they are hoping it will grow.

“Next year, the goal is to really build the program up because people want that opportunity to put their stuff out,” he said. “If you accumulate some stuff, twice a year you can get rid of it for free.”

Mark Dillman, 45, of Terre Haute did get rid of a lot of his stuff as he emptied a van full of wood and debris in one of the four large trash bins stationed in the parking lot.

“It’s a pretty good idea,” he said. “People can clean their yards out instead of hauling it to the dump and paying for it.”

Dillman had been fixing up his house and allowing the debris to pile up in the corner of his yard for about two months, planning for a trip to the dump. He said he hopes this event catches on and plans to be back if he has more to drop off.

“If everybody would get to it,” he said, “it would make this town a whole lot cleaner.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.

        

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