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Spring Cleaning in Downtown Scranton

SCRANTON — While most people were out taking in some sun on this beautiful spring day, a group of University of Scranton students were getting their hands...

SCRANTON -- While most people were out taking in some sun on this beautiful spring day, a group of University of Scranton students were getting their hands dirty to help beautify the city.

The annual “Street Sweep” allows students to get out into the community and help clean up the streets.

"We want to be a part of the community.  We don't want to be a group that just stays on the campus the whole time," said Sean Basslet, Street Sweep organizer.

It’s an effort senior Kaitlyn Meyer hopes will help bring more people to the city.

"You want to be comfortable in the place that you're living in.  Scranton is now my home so I want it to look good and I want people to feel comfortable in the city," Meyer said.

In addition to the University of Scranton "Street Sweep," another organization, Lackawanna County Arts, Culture and Education Council, or A.C.E., held a cigarette butt cleanup downtown. The idea here is for volunteers to pick up cigarette butts from around the city and pile them in front of the courthouse.

"They are a bit of a menace in the downtown. People throw them out and then don't think about them and they add up and they aren't good for our waterways," said Maureen Mcguigan, A.C.E. Deputy Director.

Members of A.C.E. along with dozens of volunteers bagged up more than ten pounds of butts from the streets.

"We only went a couple of blocks and we had a huge pile, just from a couple of blocks," said volunteer Ed Golecki.

"I don't think people realize how much garbage and cigarettes are accumulating when they are tossing their butts," said A.C.E. board member Tonyehn Verkitus.

Other volunteers say they hope these efforts will move local leaders to conduct more cleanups throughout the Electric City.

"I know budgets are tight, but keeping the city clean seems very important and very basic," volunteer Terry Golecki said.

For more information on this cleanup effort or volunteer information, click here.

 

 

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