Alton PRIDE’s Annual Spring Cleanup

Thirty-one community volunteers helped make the workload lighter during Alton PRIDE’s annual spring cleanup day held the afternoon of April 21, 2024.  Before the work actually began all were invited to Alton PRIDE President Ginger Howell’s rural home to view her numerous tulip beds of various colors that were in full bloom.  Then it was back to town to tackle the lengthy list of jobs.  The rare, non-windy day truly made it easier to accomplish all the outdoor work.  Park jobs: trim lilac bushes, evergreen trees etc., plus haul the trailer loads of branches to the City’s tree dump near the river, replace missing shingles on Gen. Bull’s 1970 log cabin replica, repair the shade tree park bench (Jakeb Reynolds’ 2016 Eagle Scout project).  Other:  clean up foliage in the Centennial Garden; clean sand from street curbs; haul off branches and trash; install replacement street signs (stop & children at play); polish PRIDE’s award signs near Alton’s Hwy 24 entrance.  Indoor jobs involved purging numerous “rainy day” items from these areas in the Community Room:  Bull City Opry Co.’s costume room; the library and library closet; the walk-in safe.  What a relief to have more storage space – for a while, anyway!  Workers gathered in the Community Room at 5 p.m. for a supper consisting of Gwen Cooper’s bierocks and finger foods provided by those in attendance.  The successful day ended with PRIDE’s monthly meeting held after supper.

The 31 volunteer workers: Mike & Lorie Adams; Bev Ballard; Jeanne Becker; Johnny Bishop; Randy Carlson; Wilda Carswell; Roger & Gwen Cooper; Tony & Robbin Dibble; Eldon & Mary Hartzler; Marlin Herschberger; Doug, Ginger & Hunter Howell; Doug Imel; Rex Johnston; Justin Jones; Matthew Martin; Jo Peterson; Cindy Poore; Stan & Deanna Roach; Sherrie Roach; Christine Schamberger; Martin & Brooke Thompson; Ronnie & Katherine Thompson.  Previous years’ volunteer worker numbers:  23 in 2023;  19 in 2022;  20 in 2021.