GREAT BIG CHALLENGE TONIGHT!!!

 

I decided to challenge myself tonight.  I wanted to see if it was possible to clean all 12 areas of the Wilbeth-Arlington Properties.

I picked up 6,721 pieces of trash in 5 1/2 hours tonight.  If this isn't my new record for one day, I'll never break my record, because it was TOO MUCH.  I hurt everywhere!

I did not clean all 12 areas, but I did clean 8.  I might have done it, if there hadn't been SO MUCH TRASH and BROKEN GLASS!  Whew!

I met this adorable little boy, and he immediately started helping me pick up trash.  I said, "You are the cutest little boy!"  He said, "That's what my Mommy and Daddy tell me."  Then he added, "Are you staying here tonight?  I hope so, because you're really nice."  

I truly love the children who live here.  He showed me where he lives, and I told him I'll come back Monday and clean his yard. 

This is the little girl who offered me a Popsicle a few months ago.  She jumped right in and started picking up glass.  I felt bad, because she wasn't wearing gloves, but she was determined to help me.

There was glass on every sidewalk, and all around the playgrounds.  

When I started cleaning around the playgrounds, there were no kids playing.  I thought it was just too hot, but after I finished, kids came running.

Nobody wants to play around garbage and broken glass. 

I saw two sweet little boys coloring on the sidewalk.  Their mom was sitting in a chair on the porch.  She was very overweight, and when I got close, she said, "There's trash there that needs picked up."

I looked behind the bushes, and there were cigarette butts everywhere.  No way could she pick them up, but it sure seems like she could have a can or something to put them in.  Wow!

And they were in gravel.  Picking cigarette butts off the pavement is hard, but trying to pick up a cigarette butt and not pick up pebbles is almost impossible.  

This project definitely slowed me down, but I felt bad for her and picked them all up.

And later, I found all these plastic cigarette filters in the parking lot.

Why do people just dump stuff out like this?  They won't go away.

Cigarette butts take a couple of years to biodegrade.  Plastic cigarette filters NEVER biodegrade.  They turn into microplastics and release harmful chemicals into the environment.

(I'm pretty sure the person who dumped them out has no idea.)

This woman came over to me and asked me if I knew anyone who could take kittens.  She needs help.  There are so many cats breeding on this property.  

She gave me her phone number.  If you know anyone who can help her, please text me at 330-419-1166, and I'll give you her number.

The last area I cleaned before my timer went off was here.  

Kids play basket ball in this parking lot and just toss their trash on the ground.  Look how easy it would be to walk over and throw their cans and bottles in the dumpster!  

I cleaned it all up, and I asked one of the guys, "How can you play with trash all over the parking lot?"  He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm used to it."

I told him, "It dangerous to run with garbage under your feet.  I'll clean it all up, and maybe you can help keep it clean?"

Maybe he will.  Maybe he won't.  

But he will think about it. 

I cleaned eight areas and this mess was the worst one.  They were all bad, but this one almost did me in.

I got my broom and dustpan and cleaned up a big pan of noodles.  Then I cleaned up cedar shavings that had poop in them.  No idea what kind of animal they had, but ick!  At least throw it in the dumpster, can you?

There was a broken garbage bag of cosmetics and perfume bottles and plastic finger nails.  And a playpen that had seen better days.

All the dumpsters were disgusting, but so easy to clean up.  My guess is the people who live here are used to garbage all over the ground.  They could just as easily get used to clean all over the ground.

Stinky trash like this makes a person feel bad. 

Clean areas make a person feel good!

I'm sure I made a lot of people feel good tonight.