Volunteers clean up the Montavilla business district

Find out who the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association volunteers teamed up with, to rid their district of street trash, and more …

Along the main streets and side streets of Montavilla’s retail district, volunteers spend the morning picking up litter, trash, and debris.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Even though it was drizzling Saturday morning, April 24, a total of 1.7 miles of Montavilla’s “downtown” area – along SE Stark and NE Glisan Streets, got a district-wide cleaning by a group of hearty volunteers.

With trash pickers, refuse bags, and plastic barrels, the volunteers broke up into groups, each focusing on a section of this area – led by the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) and supported by the Montavilla Neighborhood Association.

One of the event’s coordinators, Jacob Loeb, a Montavilla neighbor, told us he helps organize neighborhood clean-ups on a regular basis.

“I’m one of the coordinators, along with METBA’s Neil Mattson; and I’m representing the Montavilla Neighborhood Association,” volunteer Jacob Loeb told East Portland News, while he was out on litter patrol. “We created this clean-up team of volunteers from both organizations; and we provided kits that include grabbers, sharps containers, and trash bags – as we’ve done for our other regular street clean-ups.”

Amelia Lambert helps her dad, Matthew Lambert, from Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, as he picks up trash in Montavilla.

At other cleanups, Loeb remarked that that they also partner with SOLVE; and sometimes work with the 82nd Avenue of Roses Business Association to perform cleanups along that thoroughfare.

“Something that really helps is that we also have partnerships with many of the local businesses, who give us access to dumpster space to dispose of the trash after our street clean-ups,” explained Loeb.

Brett Moore of cleanup sponsor (and 3rd generation President of) Montavilla Sewing Centers, picks up trash near his store.

After the event, METBA acting president Neil Mattson, also Executive Director at Montavilla Jazz Festival, and professionally from the Montavilla Guitar Studio, congratulated volunteers with the message: “Way to go Montavilla!

“With support from the Montavilla Neighborhood Association, and event sponsor Montavilla Sewing Centers, 25 amazing volunteers today picked up 160 gallons of trash, and safely disposed of 25 used needles.

Behind that mask, and pausing for a photo while trash picking, we came across Eric Larpenteur of SVN Imbrie Real Estate.

“After washing, our volunteers consumed four extra-large pizzas provided by Flying Pie Pizzeria,” he revealed.

Find out more about the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association – it extends east of 82nd Avenue of Roses to I-205 – by visiting their official website: CLICK HERE.

© 2021 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™

 

 

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