MADISON TOWNSHIP — Austin Moore drives past Stewart Road and Grace Street in Madison Township nearly every day.
He said he thought about organizing a community cleanup in early March.
“The two areas I put down at first were areas that I drive by all the time and think could use some cleaning up,” Moore said. “I told Adam about it and thought maybe we could put something together.”
Local musicians Moore and Adam Anderson started organizing a community cleanup before a microburst brought wind damage to multiple homes and businesses in the township.
“After that happened, we thought the community needed help even more,” Anderson said.
Moore lives in Madison Township and Anderson lives in the Madison School District. The two published a Facebook event to get the word out about an Earth Day community cleanup.
About 30 people have responded to the Facebook event, and Moore said some people are planning on bringing their family members. Volunteers will meet at Providence Church at 1122 Grace Street at 9 a.m. and clean up for about three hours.
Kirsch Properties will help dispose of trash gathered at the April 22 community cleanup, and Moore plans to park his truck and trailer in the church for pickup.
The organizers also invited people to come for an hour or as long as they’re able if they can’t dedicate their whole morning to trash pickup. Volunteers are asked to check in at the church.
“Every little bit helps,” Anderson said.
The Good Shepherd nursing home in Ashland will donate boxes of gloves for volunteers. Moore suggested people wear high visibility clothing and bring their own trash bags and grabber sticks if possible.
“We’re obviously concerned about safety first and foremost, and work with common sense,” Moore said. “Don’t take young kids out by the side of 42. If you don’t feel safe in a certain area, don’t be there.”
For families with young kids or volunteers who would prefer to stay away from traffic, Moore said he wants to clean up wooded areas and the school walking path near the Grace Street and Stewart Road intersection.
Moore and Anderson said they will likely volunteer to clean up the ditches by Kroger because it is a heavily trafficked area.
Volunteers are also welcome to suggest their own ideas for areas in need of cleaning.
If anyone comes across furniture, large tree limbs or trash that’s too big to pick up, Moore said he will take note of its location and tell the township trustees.
“If it’s movable, we can try to get it out of the grass,” he said.
Community members from outside of Madison have shown interest in volunteering or starting a similar event in their areas, which Anderson said he hopes to see more of.
“I expect this weekend to be kind of slow and if we do it again, more people will catch on,” he said. “We’re just going to show up, pick up trash and clean up our community a little bit.”
Anderson said he will try to bring trash sticks or driveway markers to lend to volunteers, but he suggested people bring their own if they want to use them.
Any businesses or people willing to donate supplies or food for volunteers can message Moore or Anderson on Facebook or post in the event page for Saturday’s cleanup.
