I DID IT!!! I PICKED UP ONE MILLION PIECES OF TRASH!!!

 

What a great day this is for me, all my friends and the City of Akron!  I have picked up over one million pieces of trash in a little over two years!

My dog cut his nose on a piece of broken glass on February 6, 2023, and that motivated me to go out and clean up the trash around my block.  I discovered that I loved it.  The transformation of dump site to park was thrilling for me.  It still thrills me.

Tonight, I picked up 4,260 pieces of trash at Arlington & Archwood, all four corners, and as I drove away, I just smiled.

Here is a picture of me picking up a water bottle, the one millionth piece!  I am so happy to have achieved this goal.  Even happier to see my Firestone Park neighborhood staying clean.

What a great adventure this has been! 

I picked up 1,426 piles of broken glass...

I picked up hundreds of needles...

I picked up 944 nails, bolts and screws.  (That's 944 flat tires I prevented all by myself!!!)

I picked up dozens of knives.  (These are the ones I saved.)

I found one gun.  That was a scary day.  (Thank goodness it was laying on the ground, not pointed at me!)

I found lots and lots of coins.  (This was the most I found in one day, but I found money every day.)

My trash cart was a wonderful companion.  I could not have picked up a million pieces of trash without my trash cart to help me.  (I could barely lift this TV. There's no way I could have gotten it to the dumpster without my trash cart.)

I love my Henry & Stella.  They depend on me to feed them, give them fresh water, and take them out for walks.  

When there's broken glass and trash that can make them sick lying on the sidewalk, they will get hurt.  I feel that it's my responsibility to make sure they have a safe place to walk.

I'm not quitting, but I am slowing down.  I've been out picking up trash 3 hours a day every day the weather is decent for over 2 years.  I want to continue to keep my neighborhood clean, but I also want to do other things.

I am so grateful to everyone who helped me stay motivated.  Thank you so much!