Finally.

So, the clean ups will go on! I've been getting lots of emails about the clean ups for this year, and the answer is yes, we'll definitely continue the Shaw Monthly Clean Up.

I'll update the blog this week with the 2008 schedule. Expect the first one to be in February.

Thanks,
TreeboxV!

Just announced, the 2008 clean up schedule. The clean up will take place the second Saturday of every month starting in February.

2008 Shaw Monthly Clean Up Schedule

February 9th | 10:30 AM

March 8th

April | TBD (Combined with annual Shaw Clean Up Day)

May 10th

June 14th

July 12th

August 9th

September 13th

October 11th

November 8th

December 13th

[photo by Daquella manera]

So, I've obviously quit posting on the blog for sometime now.

However, behind the scenes the past week or so I've been brainstorming about 2008 and the Shaw Monthly Clean Up. Operationally I've put together my plan and the schedule: the second Saturday of every month we'll meet up and do our thing. Litter pickup, planting, etc... I've also crafted a press release to get out to the media to see if I can generate a bit of buzz.

Anyway, I still see the Monthly Clean Up as a great way to get out there and do something positive for the community. However, I did spent the last hour doing my weekly reading of the OffSeventh blog and got the recap on all the heated gang crap in Shaw and this has definitely set my attitude back. This is from OffSeventh:

* 31 shots behind Shiloh Baptist - Monday evening
* 2 shot behind 7th and N St property - Wednesday evening
* Report of a "drive by shooting" at 1st and N Sts, NW
* Report of 5-6 shots in the vicinity of 7th and P Streets at 1:30pm this afternoon

I'm planning on kicking off the next clean up at 5th & Rhode Island Ave. But right now, I'm asking myself "Why?" I do like to believe that the Broken Windows Theory has some validity, but that can only go so far. When some people in the area think of life as disposable, why am I taking time out of my life to pick up trash. ... Anyway, just ranting ... as of now the clean up continues - 5th & Rhode Island on February 9th.

Thanks to Michael Neibauer and the Examiner for interviewing me for a section titled The 3-minute interview. You can read the article here.

And don't forget, February 9th is next clean up. Stay tuned for more info.

Join us Saturday, February 9th for the return of our monthly clean up project. I'm excited to get back out there and get our hands dirty with some litter and trash picking up. Check out the details below for all the needed information.

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, February 9th
Time: 10:30 AM
Where: 5th & Rhode Island Ave. NW
What: We'll be walking around the 5th & Rhode Island Ave. area cleaning up the usual suspects of liquor bottles, fast food, cigarette butts, etc...
Bring: Gloves, friends, any additional tools you want to use for cleaning.
I'll Supply: Trash bags, I'll have a few extra gloves, and some trash picking tongs.
Extras: We still owe a few people some litter-picker incentives.
And come out to get your frequent litter-picker card stamped.