MANSFIELD — It was the kind of effort on a steamy July evening worthy of an ice cream reward.
Members of Mansfield St. Peter’s Boy Scout Troop 121, joined by neighbors from the area, went on “litter patrol” on Wednesday, cleaning up along First and Second streets in the West End Neighborhood Area.
The reward was the feeling of a job well done — and ice cream from Dairy Queen on Glessner Avenue — when the work was done.
Scoutmaster Jim Cox said the effort was sponsored by Richland Community Development Group and Chuck Hahn through the Lincoln Financial Group.
“Over the last few weeks, the troop put together flyers and went up and down First and Second streets and told people we would be picking up litter on July 5,” Cox said.
“We have some bags and gloves and that’s what we are doing tonight,” said the leader of the troop, which has been in the Mansfield community for about 75 years.
“The payoff, besides just the good aesthetics of it, is we’re gonna go to DQ afterwards and have some fun to celebrate,” Cox said, adding the troop hopes to return a few more times this year and perhaps expand to other streets in the neighborhood.
“Some groups will adopt a highway, which is wonderful, but this is the West End and this is around St. Pete’s. And this is where the troop is working,” he said, adding the troop just returned from its annual summer camp.
“I know a lot of the homeowners on First and Second streets are really working to improve the area around their houses. So we think we’re gonna do this multiple times throughout the year,” he said.
The Boy Scouts and neighbors worked slowly along the streets, pickup of pop cans, food bags, cigarette packs and more.
A sign on a nearby street pointed out littering is against city ordinances and carries a $250 fine. Some yards were well maintained, though some lots were clearly in violation of the city’s zoning code in terms of grass length. There were also sections of sidewalks in serious disrepair.
Hahn, who has played an active role in the City of Mansfield’s ongoing West End Target Area improvements, praised the scouts and the neighbors who came out to help.
“We want to show the neighbors what can be done and hopefully set an example for the future,” he said.
