Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup returns with goal of city-wide beautification

Volunteers at a past cleanup event.

Next month, Harrisburg residents are invited to join their neighbors on a hunt for trash.

The annual Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup has grown into a widespread event in the city over the years and will return again on Sept. 25 with the goal of further beautification.

“It’s a great way to get involved in the community,” said Danielle Krebs, communications manager for Tri County Community Action, the organizer of the event. “You’re able to make a huge impact in a few short hours.”

Clean & Green Harrisburg and Keep Harrisburg/Dauphin County Beautiful are also partners in the event.

Volunteers will pick up trash in Midtown, Uptown and Allison Hill from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Other volunteers will drive trucks loaded with trash bags and monitor dumpsters. Individuals or teams can choose to be assigned to their neighborhood or at random.

Tri County and Keep Harrisburg/Dauphin County Beautiful will supply trash bags, gloves, vests, litter pickers, hand sanitizer and face masks.

At last year’s cleanup, over 200 volunteers collected around 11 tons of garbage. However, in pre-COVID years, the turnout was closer to 300, and the amount of trash picked up was doubled, Krebs said.

She explained that Tri County will continue to take COVID precautions, canceling their traditional cookout and opting for goodie bags with snacks instead.

Krebs also noted that this year’s volunteer T-shirts were designed by Harrisburg artist Amie Bantz.

“Giving her an opportunity for her to showcase her work was awesome,” she said.

Volunteers who want to be guaranteed a shirt must sign up by Aug. 30.

As it has for years, Krebs believes the day of cleanup provides people with a chance to take ownership of the vitality of their neighborhoods.

“We want Harrisburg to thrive, so we’ve got to take care of it,” she said.

To register for Tri County Community Action’s Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup or for more information, visit their website.

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