IT WAS A COLD MORNING IN BARBERTON TODAY!

 

It was only 16 degrees when I headed to Barberton for the Main Street Barberton cleanup.  I wasn't sure how many people would show up when it was so cold, so they needed me to be there.

When I arrived at 8:30, there were no lights on in the office, but a table was set up for volunteers.  One person signed in, and I was the second.  

I didn't need a trash grabber, gloves or trash bags.  I have plenty of those.  But I did need a map.  I took two maps of Wooster Road, hoping to find more trash than last time.  A month ago, I joined in, and I only picked up 174 pieces.

This part of Wooster Road is under construction, but one lane is still open, going westbound.  I found a few pop cans, but that's all.

I crossed the street, and went the other way to the top of the hill, then I turned left, still on Wooster Road.

It was so quiet.  There were no cars.  There were no people.  Just ice and a little bit of snow.  And no trash.

All of a sudden, I heard a man yelling and swearing.  He was standing in front of the T-Mobile store.  I don't know what was going on, but it was a bit scary.

A Barberton Police officer drove by and waved at me.  I motioned for him to stop. He rolled his window down, and I said, "That man seems to be in a lot of distress . . . or maybe that's why you're here."  He smiled and said, "Yes, we're giving him some time to settle down.  We'd hate to throw him in jail."

Then he thanked me for what I was doing.  Can you believe that?  A police officer thanking me?  After all he does day after day?

I kept focused on looking for trash and at the other end of the shopping center, I found some.

This area needed picked up, but it wasn't bad.

I chuckled when I saw people in Barberton throw stuff in the bushes, just like they do in Akron.  I found fast food wrappers, cups, and I found this table leg that looked like it could be used as a weapon if necessary.

It's in the dumpster now.  Sorry to whoever stashed it there.

I found lots of aluminum cans, two signs, a piece of cardboard, and I filled up my trash bag.  Luckily, I also found a dumpster so I didn't have to drag all that heavy frozen stuff back to my car.

I picked up 487 pieces of trash in a little less than two hours.  That's way more than last time, but to put it into perspective, I typically pick up 1,000 pieces of trash per hour in Akron.

Barberton is doing a wonderful job keeping their Magic City clean.  

Will Akron ever be this clean?  I hope so.  I'm doing everything I can to make that happen.