To coordinate so many park cleanups around town, we have found it helpful to clearly lay out what is expected from our volunteer
Park Leaders and what they can expect from the GreenUp CleanUp Organizing Team.
Usually we divide the work as follows:
Park leader
- Picks a date
- Decides what work needs to be done at the park and lets the organizers know what your recommendations are for the park (email to greenupcleanup@gracemedford.org)
- Does local outreach to people who use the park or live/work nearby. (If at a special location, coordinate with that location, e.g., Brooks Estate Trustees, Friends of the Mystic River)
- Is in charge the day of the cleanup
- Sets up at the beginning and cleans up at the end of that cleanup.
Green Up Clean Up Organizing Committee
- Coordinates all the dates
- Communicates with the City about what materials and tools are needed on each date for each park cleanup; they make any special arrangements that might be necessary (e.g., getting bathrooms opened out of season for volunteers, unlocking parking lot gates for the clean up, etc)
- Does central & city-wide outreach, including email, press releases (but Park Leaders are welcome to do this as well)
- Maintains the webpage: http://gracemedford.org/greenupcleanup
- Brings the large lemonade cooler, cups
- Brings work gloves, garbage, recycling & yard waste bags
Snacks and Beverages
Some year we have a volunteer who is able to solicit donations of food and beverages (coffee, water) for the cleanups. Sometimes the Park Leader organizes snack, either through donations or bringing something on their own. For 2012 we don't yet have a volunteer (yet) to organize this, and we'd be happy to have someone volunteer, or for businesses to contact us directly.
Examples of Clean Up Activities
We are happy to report to the City Park's Department whatever you want them to hear about the park. Typical activities they are able to support us doing include:
- Raking
- Sweeping sand
- Picking up trash and recycling
- Spreading mulch (they have provided mulch, shovels, wheel barrows)
- Spreading safety wood chips (they have provided wood chips, shovels, wheel barrows)
- Spreading sand (they provided sand, shovels, wheel barrows, rakes)
- Pulling weeds
- Removing graffiti (the City has special graffiti removal cleaner)
- Painting (the City has provided paint, brushes)
- Pruning (sometimes the City will send one of their staff with power tools)
- Planting flowers and sprucing up local gardens
The City is happy to supply the tools and supplies we need, within their budget, provided we make the request in a timely manner and it is something they have available.
If you are interested in organizing a Clean Up, but you're not sure where, or what to do, members of the organizing committee and the Medford Parks Department have recommendations on locations that could use volunteer help.
Thank you for volunteering!
Green Up Clean Up Committee
Grace Medford
greenupcleanup@gracemedford.org
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