GreenUp Ashland will hold its annual clean-up-the-town event to celebrate on Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. to noon (rain date, Sunday, May 4). Residents of all ages, as well as businesses and community groups, are invited to participate. Participants get a chance to pick an area in town, such as neighborhoods, school grounds, parks and along streets and rivers, to clean up. In addition to Saturday morning, participants have the weekend to clean up the area for which they register.
Two Ways to Register: Residents may register in person at the Stone Park Pavilion on the morning of May 3 or they may avoid the lines and pick their area of choice online through the GreenUp Ashland website, www.greenupashland.org.
Wear Proper Attire: Participants should bring work gloves and water and wear sturdy shoes and bright colored clothing for safety. If you are cleaning up on a busy street, you may borrow town-owned vests and orange cones. Bags filled with rubbish and roadside litter may be left curbside for pickup by the Ashland Department of Public Works (DPW).
Businesses Can Help: GreenUp Ashland is also asking local businesses to get involved by picking up trash in the areas around their establishments on May 3 and/or on the days prior to the event. For information, email [email protected].
Adopt a Street Program: Residents may adopt a street anytime, May through October. Sign up for the Adopt a Street program on www.greenupashland.org. Bags are provided and may be left at the area of cleanup where the DPW will retrieve them. More information and to sign up, visit https://www.greenupashland.org/adopt-a-street.
Stream Teams: New to this year’s GreenUp Ashland are Stream Teams, a joint effort of GreenUp Ashland, the Board of Health and the Stormwater Advisory Committee, to remove litter and other foreign objects from Ashland’s streams, ponds and other wetlands.
There are two types of Stream Teams: Land-based [L-Team] and on-the-water [W-Team]. The L-Team will walk along the banks of a waterbody, removing litter just as you would do on a street. The W-Team is for the slightly more adventurous and involves the use of a canoe, kayak or other small boat. Just as with street GreenUp, safety is important. Street GreenUp participants need to be alert for cars; Stream Team participants should always work in pairs and wear life jackets ‘just in case’.
Between now and cleanup day, May 2, Ashland Stormwater Division personnel will identify priority waterbodies for GreenUp. Please let us know if you are willing to be part of the Stream Team and which team, Land or Water, you are willing to do. For more information, visit the GreenUp Ashland website, https://www.greenupashland.org or email infogreenupashland.org.
GreenUp Ashland Committee
“People should participate in this day of cleaning up the town to show pride in our own, make our town more attractive and healthy, raise the values of our properties,” Jeanne Walker, a group spokesperson, said. “It is a perfect opportunity to join in on one of the many volunteer opportunities that are available in Ashland and a great opportunity to show an example to our children and have them volunteer along with their families, organizations, friends, and other like-minded residents.”
GreenUp Ashland works to promote a litter-free environment and encourage stewardship of Ashland’s lands and waterways. To get involved with planning and implementation for GreenUp Ashland, call the Ashland Board of Health, 508 881-0100, ext. 7128 or 7922 for Health Agent Mark Oram. GreenUp committee members are Karyn Dann, Kate D’Angelo, Mark Oram, Lisa Uglialoro, Brett Jackson and Jeanne Walker.
Issue Date:
April, 2020
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