YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PICK UP TRASH

 

You just don't know what it's like to pick up trash until you give it a try!

Today was the Main Street Barberton Cleanup.  It's always the second Saturday of the month.  I invited my good friend, Caryl to join in.  She lives in Barberton, so keeping her city clean means a lot to her.  But besides that, I thought Melanie at Main Street Barberton and Caryl would really like each other.  I love them both.

So Caryl met me at 8:00 this morning. I had a trash grabber, a bucket, gloves and a vest for her to use and keep.  We started out and she got so excited when she saw a bunch of trash! 

But even more excited when she saw how nice it looks when it's clean!  Just like I do!  That's my favorite part!

She couldn't believe how much trash there was.  I hadn't been here for a month, and it was a mess, but with two of us, it didn't take very long to clean it up. 

We went around a building and found this mess.  She bent over to pick these things up, and I told her to use the trash grabber.  You get really tired and risk hurting your back when you bend over and pick things up.

Then she found a can of garbanzo beans.  I told her some homeless person would probably eat those, so she left it on the sidewalk.  

We crossed the street, and I saw this cardboard on the drain.  No wonder the streets flood when it rains when stuff like this is clogging the drain.

We picked up trash and cigarette butts all the way down to the laundromat.  She wasn't sure how long she was going to help, maybe a half hour.  Two hours went by so fast!  She couldn't believe how fun it was to pick up trash! 

We turned the corner at the laundromat, and I walked back to this little area that was such a mess before.  It was a mess again, but we didn't clean it.  I'll go back tomorrow.  We were both tired, but oh my goodness!  What a great day!

I wish more people would pal along with me.  I'm not used to having company.  I didn't count the pieces, because I wanted to talk to my friend.

We were almost back to the car and a man pulled over and warned us not to go behind the shopping center.  He said there was a man back there who looked pretty scary.  I assured him that we only pick up trash out in the open, never behind buildings or anywhere we might get hurt. 

She really seemed to enjoy picking up trash with me.  Her hand hurt a little, but it takes a while to get used to the trash grabber.  I remember mine hurt at first too, and two hours is a lot of grabbing.  Maybe she'll come every month.  I'm sure Melanie would love to have another volunteer.