Community will clean up its own act

Years ago Sisters Park & Recreation District employee Mandee Seeley was impressed by a community Earth Day cleanup in Jamestown, New York and hoped to do something similar one day. With Seeley's organizing and encouragement, Sisters will have its own Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 29, 8 a.m. to noon.

The two main goals for the event are to bring the community together to care for their surroundings and to educate the public on "leave no trace." It is being held on the same day as a number of SOLVE (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism) fall beach and riverside cleanups around Oregon.

SOLVE is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship to protect and preserve the places that make Oregon so uniquely beautiful. They annually support nearly 30,000 volunteers in 900 projects throughout the state. SOLVE was founded by Governor Tom McCall and other community leaders in 1969 to address the need for community action in an ever-growing Oregon.

Seeley said there are a number of ways people can help on September 29. Form a team and meet at SPRD at 8 a.m. for supplies and routes.

As a business, encourage staff to clean up around your property and along roadways. Businesses can also sponsor a team or individual, or donate supplies to the community effort.

Schools are asked to encourage students and staff to cleanup the schoolyard and parking lot. On your own, gather friends and family and clean around your neighborhood, or come to SPRD at 8 a.m. for instructions and supplies.

Team leaders will be provided with vests and signs. SOLVE is providing enough supplies including gloves, garbage bags, and sharps containers for 100 people.

The day will start at 8 a.m. in the SPRD parking lot where supplies will be handed out and locations assigned. SPRD vans will be available to transport workers to areas to be cleaned up or workers can drive themselves. The morning is a family-friendly event with coloring activities and educational materials about "leave no trace" for children.

Everyone will return to the SPRD parking lot by noon to provide data, to dump their garbage, and some lucky adults will receive a free entry/drink package worth $15 from Three Creeks Brewing for their 9th Annual Fresh Hop Festival which is happening that afternoon, noon to 8 p.m. at 265 E. Barclay Drive. The package includes a souvenir pint glass and five tokens for four-ounce pours.

Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid expressed his appreciation for volunteers who will be working in the forest.

"Irresponsible people who dump trash on their national forests and other public lands ruin recreational experiences for others and degrade our shared natural resources," he said. "Luckily, there are concerned citizens in Central Oregon with a sense of stewardship who are willing to roll up their sleeves and right these wrongs against public lands. All of us who work and play on the Sisters Ranger District appreciate the help from the community in taking care of these areas."

One citizen who has been an especially big help is Seeley's husband, Ryan, who has been working as a liaison between the Forest Service, volunteers, and the homeless community. He maintains a list of volunteers, and the USFS provides him with a list of abandoned camps and public trash-dumping areas in the forest. The City provides trash bags, the USFS adds gloves, and others have given shovels and litter pickers. The homeless members of our community appreciate receiving the shovels and garbage bags to enable them to clean up their camps.

The cleanup day is a partnership of SPRD, the USFS, SOLV, City of Sisters, and Three Creeks Brewing Co..

Registration is required so enough supplies can be provided for everyone who wants to participate. Only one person per team needs to register, providing the number of people on the team. To register, call SPRD, 541-549-2091; register online at http://www.sistersrecreation.com, or in person at SPRD, 1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd.