Sandy and SOLVE partner for Earth Day cleanup posted on 04/01/2021
The city of Sandy will team up with the environmental
nonprofit organization SOLVE for “SOLVE IT in Sandy,” an annual spring litter
clean up from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 17. The event coincides with
state-wide clean up events hosted by SOLVE for Earth Day. Volunteers spread out
in Sandy and pick up litter and debris to beautify the city.
“We see a lot of resident participation, including organized
groups. It’s a good way to give back to the community,” said Carol Cohen, Event
Coordinator for the City of Sandy.
Volunteers of all ages are invited to meet at the Sandy
Community Center parking lot at 38348 Pioneer Blvd. in Sandy.
The cleanup will focus on eight to ten different sites
including the Sandy River Trailhead, Tickle Creek, Main Street, the Sandy
community park and the cemetery.
“With the recent ice storm there was a lot of damage,” Cohen
said. “There’s a lot of clean up that needs to be done.”
SOLVE (formerly SOLV) was founded in 1969 as part of a
community effort to address litter in the state.
Over the years the nonprofit has expanded its mandate to
address a wider scope of community and environmental issues.
For 2021, SOLVE is combining the organization’s annual
Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup and SOLVE IT for Earth Day events. The Spring
Oregon Beach Cleanup was first held in 1986 and SOLVE IT community clean up
events began in 1990 as part of Earth Day. The community of Sandy has
participated in hosting a SOLVE IT Earth Day event for the past ten years.
SOLVE provides volunteers for the event with bags, grabbers,
vinyl gloves, safety vests and sharps containers. Hoodview Disposal and
Recycling donates a 20-yard dumpster for the litter gathered by volunteers.
Participants are encouraged to arrive with a face covering,
warm clothing, closed-toed shoes, work gloves and a supply of water.
Preregistration for the event in required online at
https://www.solveoregon.org/opportunity/a0C1I00000QFKbUUAX.
On the day of the event volunteers can drive through to
check in and pick up supplies while signing up for a designated area.
Organizers of the event will provide coffee, hot chocolate
and doughnuts, donated by Joe’s Donut Shop in Sandy, for volunteers.
“They’ve got to do the work first before they get their
goodies,” said Cohen laughing.
More information about the event is available on the city of
Sandy community services website at
https://www.ci.sandy.or.us/comm-services/page/solve-it-sandy.
More information about SOLVE and other Earth Day events in
Oregon are available at https://www.solveoregon.org.
By Ben Simpson/MT | 
