Volunteers pick up trash in downtown Parkrose

This event shows that a few people can do a lot of good, in just a couple of hours, in an outer East Portland Neighborhood Business District …

Out goes a group of volunteers for their morning of “litter picking” in downtown Parkrose.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Volunteers again headed out onto the streets of Parkrose to pick litter from the streets on Saturday morning, August 6.

They gathered at the “new” offices of the Historic Parkrose (HP) Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative District, in the downtown area, before spreading out to clean up the streets.

Welcoming the cleanup volunteers is HP Interim Director Annette Stanhope.

“It went well!” exclaimed HP Interim Director Annette Stanhope afterwards.

“We did a thorough pick-up from 99th to 105th Avenues, along NE Sandy Boulevard,” Stanhope told East Portland News. “Although the focus was Sandy Boulevard, we did go up some of side streets a block or so. We filled with trash an open utility trailer that Cultivate Initiatives uses.”

With trash bags and “pickers” at hand, volunteers Shaneya Robinson and Kristin Lichtenfels are ready to start removing trash and garbage from Parkrose’s streets.

“It feels good to clean up the neighborhood and bring some positive activity to NE Sandy Boulevard, because it shows that folks care about the area,” mused Stanhope.

But, what surprised her and the volunteers was seeing piles of litter – on the ground, and in the street – near city garbage cans. “And, it’s not like the cans were overflowing! Please, please – use the garbage cans! That’s what they’re there for!

Volunteer Calb Coder finds trash to grab, and bag.

“If there is an area of Parkrose you’d like to focus on for a future clean-up, please contact Annette at outreach@historicparkrose.com to have it included in a possible fall street clean-up event,” she requested.

To learn more about the Historic Parkrose NPI, see their official website: CLICK HERE.

>> On our Front Page: East Portland Action Plan Advocate JR Lilly grabs trash during the Summer Historic Parkrose Street Clean-up.

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