by Michael Kennedy
Information on the Valley Clean-up sponsored by FLSRV in April 2021
Friends of the Little Spokane River Valley held their annual clean-up day for the val ley on Saturday, April 17, 2021. This year again we had one outside group to volunteer for the cleanup, Boy Scout Troop 218, with Scout Master, Richard Parish. Thanks again!
It turned out to be another big clean-up day with around 30 to 35 people and a lot of kids with their parents. We had enough volunteers to cover all the routes. Thanks to everyone who did show up! Our goal each year is to clean up most of the major roads in the valley from Wandermere to Perry; Shady Slope to the top of the hill; Dartford to Hazard Road; Hatch Road to the pool; and Golden Road, Midway, and Colbert Road including some new area along US 395.
We collected a lot of paper trash, miscellaneous wood, carpet, bottles, etc. Estimated total trash again was one of the largest hauls we have had in years. We again had to move to Moose Park in Gleneden due to Shady Slope construction. We will most likely use Moose Park again next year. We will notify everybody in the Spring of our location.
After the clean-up, we did not have our annual chili feed that is held at Bart and Lin dell Haggin’s home due to Covid-19.
Please mark your calendars for next year’s clean-up scheduled in April, 2022. We will set the exact date this winter. We need your time and your continued support to help to keep our valley roadways clean. This is also a good way to get to know your neighbors!
Contributions by People Who Regularly Take a Walk, and Pick Up Litter Along the Way
– Kathy Duft –
We have lived in north Spokane/ Colbert since 2007. We have been doing the community beautician for about the last 5 years. It is amazing how much litter seems to accumulate from year to year. I am thankful to be able to still do a small part to help our environment and community to be a better place to live and enjoy. So far we haven’t found anything outstanding, but hoping to find that one special lottery ticket. As for improving the program maybe someone could give a talk at the midway elementary school about litter and see if the kids can get involved along with their parents.
– Russ and Lana English –
My wife and I have lived in Colbert now for 12 years. As soon as we heard about the FLSRV cleanup from Tina we immediately volunteered. We wanted to do it at first because we saw all the trash on Hatch Rd and wondered why it was never picked up. So, instead of complaining we dove right in and started helping. We volunteered to clean Hatch Rd. from Kilgore Lane to Dartford Rd. The first few years we did it ourselves just the two of us. Eventually we recruited some neighbors to help us. Over the years the people changed but eventually Bob and Kathy Duft joined us and we have been doing the cleanups together with them.
Over the years we have found some strange items. The first year we did the cleanup we picked up more than 53 empty small airline size alcohol bottles. This year I am happy to say we only found 8. Another item we picked up often is round chewing tobacco containers. There have been hundreds over the years but this year we only found 11. The new thing we found this year was 34 disposable vaping pens. We never found those before this year. And to roundup our strangest find this year, we found a baggie of marijuana. Which I disposed of by grinding it into the roadway with the heel of my shoe.
I am glad to say that the amount of trash we have collected each year has gone down each and every year. My wife and I do this also because it is a visible way to give back to this great community we have here in Colbert. We will continue to do it for as long as we are able to do it. A big thanks to Tina Wynecoop for getting us involved.
– Alanna and Jim Crouch –
We feel it is important to bloom where you are planted in your community. So cleaning up litter along the road is a great way to get outside and give back to the Little Spokane River Valley community and its board members.
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