The first week’s haul of trash from Central Park
Photo : John Henkelman
A small but determined group of volunteers, armed with trash bags and gloves, gathered under the clock in front of City Hall on Saturday morning. Their mission was simple: Clean up Central Park.
The effort was spearheaded by resident John Henkelman, who said it was time to turn digital complaints about the appearance of downtown into action.
“I saw so many posts about litter, and it felt like everyone was just waiting for someone else to do something,” said Henkelman. “I figured, why not be that someone? It’s easy to complain, but it’s much more rewarding to actually get out here and make a difference.”
On Saturday – the first of what Henkelman hopes will be weekly events – five residents spent about an hour pulling weeds out of sidewalk cracks, sweeping up dirt and leaves from the south side of Central Park and cleaning up litter in the park.
Henkelman hopes this initial effort will inspire more people to get involved and not just wait for the town or someone else to solve the problem. He said the cleanup is a reminder that “meaningful change often starts with a simple step – one that goes beyond the comments section and into the community itself.”
Anyone who would like to join can meet under the clock at City Hall at 9 am every Saturday until the snow flies.
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