Litterbugs, with help from the wind, managed to deposit quite a lot of trash on property at 3800 Vollmer Road in Flossmoor. Mayor Michelle Nelson said there appeared to be more litter than last year scattered around the property, but more volunteers showed up this year to tackle the problem, too.
Village Events Manager Stephanie Wright said at least 50 volunteers converged on the site Saturday, April 8, for the annual community cleanup, and with support from Flossmoor public works crews, they scooped up the paper and plastic marring the landscape.
A retention pond gets attention during Flossmoor's community cleanup event. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
That wasn’t the whole group, either. Members of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School girls varsity soccer team was unable to attend the 9 a.m. cleanup, so they started at 8 a.m. and picked up litter along Flossmoor Road from Dixie Highway to Governors Highway, bringing the total cleanup force to about 70, Wright said.
The Vollmer Road site was chosen for two reasons, she said. Most of the litter was in the woods and open land set back from the road, which made it relatively safe. Also, the village owns the property.
“We want to be good neighbors to everybody around us,” Wright said. “There are a few water retention areas here, and there is wildlife here, and the trash kind of swirls around and gets caught up in the water retention areas. We want to keep it clear.”
Wright was pleased with the turnout, and volunteers seemed happy to have the opportunity to help spruce up their community.
Sam Bowyer said, “When you see people not doing anything about it, it makes you angry. Getting the opportunity to clean it up like this makes you feel good.”
And H-F student Chidera Ozoh, who is in the National Honor Society program, said she liked the opportunity to help the community, and for similar reasons.
There have been times “when you’re driving and see someone throw (something) out of their window,” she said. “It’s not that hard to save it and throw it away when you can.”
Wright said the commitment of the volunteers was encouraging.
“You can witness the strength of our community when we gather together over service,” she said. “This is really where we shine our brightest.”