First Posted: 4/15/2015
AVOCA — The Avoca Neighborhood Crime Watch will look to make sure the borough reflects happiness with a cleanup day to be held on Saturday, April 25.
Crime watch president Jim Brogan said the cleanup will be held in conjunction with the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania held between March 1 and May 31.
According to the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania’s website, registered organizations and events can get cleanup supplies, such as bags, gloves and vests, free from PennDOT.
“I’ve been in touch with a guy from PennDOT in the Ashley office,” said Brogan. “They’ll supply all the materials we need for the cleanup and all we need to do is organize it. As a crime watch organization we thought it’d be a great idea to sponsor a cleanup.”
Brogan said continued cleaning will take place from York Avenue to the borough lines on South Main Street. Garbage bags will be left for PennDOT workers to collect another day.
Volunteer cleaners will also focus on sprucing up the Welcome to Avoca sign on Main Street by cleaning the area around it and planting flowers.
This Saturday’s cleanup will mark the second time the crime watch has held the event, having conducted a similar program two years ago.
Crime watch member Jim Jumper said the turnout to the first neighborhood cleanup was better than expected.
“We had a good turnout of people,” said Jumper. “We had a lot of help. The borough council even pitched in and helped picked up garbage.”
Brogan said the reason there was no cleanup last year was because the crime watch could not find a proper date that worked for everyone. He also said if it rains on Saturday, there will be no cleanup and there is no makeup date.
“It’s hard to tell,” said Brogan said when asked how many people are expected to participate. “We haven’t had any phone calls, but we will have our regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, so we may pick up some of those people who attend the meeting. There may be people who will just show up on Saturday.”
As of now, there are about 12 volunteers who will be there to help and Brogan said they anticipate anywhere from 25 to 30 people will be on hand to help out.
Crime watch member Gene Philbin hopes the neighborhood cleanup will provide a chance for the community to meet the members of the crime watch as well as other members of the community.
“It’s good public relations for the crime watch,” said Philbin. “People drive by, they see us out doing various things they know we’re involved and we’re watching out for their welfare. That’s part of it.”
Brogan said other ways for borough residents to meet members of the police force and crime watch are to attend monthly meetings held the third Tuesday of every month.
“We always have very good guest speakers and we encourage residents to come out and support the crime watch and police department,” said Brogan. “We’d like to get as many people in the town involved as possible.”
