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Hartford Seeking Volunteers For Spring Cleanup

By VANESSA DE LA TORRE

April 17, 2013

HARTFORD —— The city's official spring cleaning will begin Saturday and organizers are looking for volunteers to help.

The city of Hartford and the Knox Parks Foundation are offering rakes, brooms, garbage bags, gloves and other supplies to groups that register for the seventh annual cleanup. Citywide beautification days are also planned for April 27, May 4 and May 11.

The spring initiative is part of the national Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, said Charmaine Craig, Knox's director of community groups.

Hartford Public High School students, staff and other volunteers are focusing on school grounds and the surrounding neighborhood from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

On April 27, the Compass Youth Collaborative at Burns Latino Studies Academy has signed up for an 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. cleanup at the school and Putnam Street.

Organizers said they encourage businesses, neighborhood associations, residents and other groups to choose an area in Hartford — a street or park, for instance — to pick up litter. People can also sign up to remove graffiti or plant flowers and greenery.

"Having a litter-free capital city is a priority for my administration and it's within our reach as a community to achieve," Mayor Pedro Segarra said in a statement. "We need to work together to be successful... I hope to see hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers participating this year."

Last year, 1,118 people volunteered in Hartford's spring cleanup, according to organizers.

Those interested in volunteering for a project can contact Knox's Charmaine Craig at 860-951-7694, ext. 14, or charmainec@knoxparks.org.